A previous study on Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn populations in Java Island showed both very low haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and at the same time revealed high connectivity among the populations. Sumatra Island, like Java Island where located in Sunda Shelf, has been subjected to relatively increasing human population and overexploitation of natural resources in a few last decades. This makes the island vulnerable to terrestrial ecosystem changes potentially influencing the existing populations of S. nodiflora. Hence, this study aimed to assess genetic difference among S. nodiflora populations in Sumatra Island using the intergenic spacer (IGS) atpB –  rbcL. This molecular marker has been used in the population genetic study of some plant species. In this study, we collected randomly 20 individuals from four different locations in Sumatra. The results showed that based on IGS atpB – rbcL sequences of 860 bp length, only two haplotypes were found. One of them was of the same haplotype mostly found in Java Island, while the other showed some base substitutions. Low genetic difference indicating high connectivity among populations of S. nodiflora in Sumatra Island was observed.

Agus Hery Susanto

Agus Nuryanto