ASSESSMENT OF THE MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATIONS OF Panax sp. (ARALIACEACE) COLLECTED IN BA BE DISTRICT, BAC KAN PROVINCE, VIET NAM

Abstract

A new ginseng population was discovered in Thuong Giao commune, Ba Be district, Bac Kan province. The evaluation of morphological characteristics, molecular genetics and comparison of the relationship with other ginseng species, particularly with Vietnamese ginseng, is an important basis for the conservation and development of ginseng cultivation in the province. The analysis results show that Ba Be ginseng has typical biological and morphological characteristics similar to Vietnamese ginseng. The initial use of specific molecular markers has determined that this may be a new species or variety belonging to the Panax genus, different from the species or varieties known in Vietnam. In the genetic relationship analysis of these ginseng species, with a similarity coefficient of 0.42, the nine ginseng samples were divided into two groups. Group I includes Ngoc Linh and LangBiang ginseng, while Group II includes Ba Be ginseng, Panax stipuleanatus, Vu Diep ginseng (Panax bipinnatifidus Seem.), Panax notoginseng and Lai Chau ginseng 1, 2, 3. Ba Be ginseng has the closest molecular genetic similarity coefficient to Vu Diep ginseng and Panax stipuleanatus (0.64) and the farthest from Ngọc Linh and LangBiang ginseng (0.45), with Panax notoginseng and Lai Chau ginseng having similarity coefficients of 0.55 and 0.58, respectively.