Heracleum is common in North and East Europe. There are a few Heracleum species such as Heracleum mantegazzianum, H. sphondylium, H. persicum and most common in Lithuania Heracleum sosnowskyi. These plants, as being an invasive species, damage natural ecosystem, displacing naturally growing species and causing economic damage and endangering human health. Separated juice from the plant that gets on human skin and reacts with sunlight can cause skin burns. Hazardous plant compounds can cause cancer and birth defects in the developing embryo. The aim of the study was to elucidate the polymorphism of Vilnius city samples of H. sosnowskyi using ISSR markers.
The plants were collected from six populations: City center, Užupis, Pašilaičiai, Perkūnkiemis, Verkiai and Visoriai in Vilnius city and surroundings in 2019 – 2020 during early autumn season. DNA was extracted using CTAB method. After that ISSR – PCR was done with six ISSR primers which were preselected for H. sosnowskyi. PCR products were fractionated on a 1.2% agarose gel. Also, statistical data analysis was performed using electrophoresis results as a guide to create binary matrix.
Six populations were examined and determined mean of DNA polymorphism in the populations was found to be 56%. The smallest genetic distance was found between Vilnius city center and Užupis populations, which were the closest. The largest genetic distance was between Pašilaičiai and Visoriai populations. A major part of the genetic diversity of H. sosnowskyi populations was within populations (61%).
In conclusion, in six populations of Heracleum sosnowskyi, the highest polymorphism of ISSR loci was found in the Verkiai population (69.81%) and the lowest in the City center population (45.28%). H. sosnowskyi populations of Užupis, City center and Verkiai were genetically close. Their similarity was 80%.The populations of H. sosnowskyi Pašilaičiai and Visoriai were the most genetically different. Their similarity was 66%. Our results indicate different origin of studied Heracleum sosnovskyi populations.