Regional Patterns of Genetic Variation in Lavender Revealed by RAPD Analysis

Abstract

Lavender is primarily cultivated for its essential oil, which is rich in terpenoids and widely used in cosmetics, aromatherapy, and medicine. In this study, we assessed the genomic variability of lavender grown in six regions of Slovakia, representing two species, five varieties, and two tissue types (leaves and flowers), using molecular markers. Molecular profiles generated with five RAPD primers were largely shaped by taxonomic affiliation, with individual species forming clearly distinguishable groups. Additionally, primer SM_03 showed a strong ability to differentiate samples based on tissue type. Although the primers were highly effective in species discrimination, they did not reveal variability associated with environmental conditions. Overall, the applied RAPD markers exhibited strong discriminatory power for taxonomic differentiation but were insufficient for distinguishing samples according to geographic origin.