Evaluating the genetic diversity of Artemisia sieberi Besser from Iran using ISSR molecular markers

Artemisia sieberi is a valuable medicinal plant that is widespread in the Qom region of Iran. In order to assess the genetic diversity of this species, a total of 20 populations were collected and analyzed using 10 ISSR molecular marker primers. The ISSR analysis resulted in the detection of 133 bands, with 68 being polymorphic and 65 being monomorphic. The average percentage of polymorphism across the 10 primers was calculated to be 52.92%. The overall genetic diversity was found to be partitioned with 42% within populations and 58% between populations. The populations of Abbas Abad and Separ Rostam exhibited the highest level of polymorphism (28.57%) in areas characterized by hot and dry climates. Conversely, the populations of Avel and Karkesh displayed the lowest level of polymorphism (7.52% and 9.02%, respectively) in areas with relatively moderate and humid climates. The genetic similarity matrix, based on the Nie index, revealed a range of population similarity from 0.607 to 0.934 among the 20 Artemisia sieberi populations, indicating a high level of genetic diversity within the Qom province. The genetic diversity of Artemisia sieberi has likely facilitated population adaptation to various ecological conditions, warranting further investigation.