Pakoba genetic diversity: A preliminary study of pakoba diversity

Abstract. Pangemanan EFS, Tasirin JS, Saroinsong FB. 2018. Pakoba genetic diversity: Preliminary study of pakoba diversity. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 5: 286-293. Pakoba (Syzygium sp.) is a kind of plant belongs to Family Myrtaceae in Orde Myrtales. Nowadays, the natural population of pakoba is rare to be found. Although among the public, it has been known some kind of pakoba like red pakoba, white pakoba, and pakoba hutan, however, pakoba plant has not much been studied scientifically. Conservation efforts to protect the extinction of this type need to be done. Morphological description and analysis of genetic diversity on pakoba are expected could provide further understanding of this plant to help its conservation efforts. The aim of this research was to find the genetic diversity of pakoba by using the matK gene. DNA extraction used Genomic DNA Mini Kit Plant (Geneaid), amplification of DNA used Kit PCR 5x FirePol Master Mix (Solis Biodyne) and a universal prime pair namely matK-3F-r. The used samples were from several sources/locations where pakoba plant could be found, namely in Kima (pakoba A, SUA), Manado (pakoba B, SUB) and Tangkoko Batu Angus (pakoba C, SUC). The results of this study showed that from the 3 sequences, only pakoba C was different from pakoba A and B, while pakoba A is the same with pakoba B. The difference only four nucleotides, but the identification results showed a strong similarity with Syzygium sandwicense (99%). Based on this result, it is necessary to compare their morphology characters to find out the diversity of pakoba. Furthermore, the results of this research can be used as a correctly naming approaching the pakoba scientific name.