Abstract
Increased salinity distresses some key species severely in Indian Sundarbans. Geomorphic characteristics coupled with demographic obligations have proven to be pivotal factor towards the prevalence of elevated salinity in this zone. Better adaptation to rapid changes in microclimate demands wide range of genetic polymorphism as well. RAPD and ISSR molecular markers were used for this genetic diversity study. Degree of polymorphism was found relatively higher in Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (26.43 % in RAPD and 24.36 % in ISSR) than the other taxa, Heritiera fomes (14.43 and 12.76 % respectively) in case of RAPD and ISSR. Dendrogram constructed based on the similarity matrix showed that for H. fomes, least saline and highest saline zones are positioned in the same clade; whereas in B. gymnorrhiza the higher saline areas were clustered together. Nei's gene diversity (h) as revealed from RAPD and ISSR analysis were found to be 0.0821, 0.0785 and 0.0647, 0.0592 in B. gymnorrhiza and H. fomes respectively. The higher degree of polymorphism as revealed from UPGMA Dendrogram and Nei's genetic diversity might be attributed towards the comfortable growth of B. gymnorrhiza all along the Indian Sundarbans. On the other hand the relatively lesser degree of genetic polymorphism of H. fomes might be attributed towards their precarious status in present days elevated salinity in Indian Sundarbans.