Morphological and molecular insights into the wild Ficus species of Mizoram, Northeast India.

BACKGROUND

The genus Ficus L., commonly known as fig and belonging to the family Moraceae, is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. Ficus species hold significant importance in horticulture and traditional medicine due to their aesthetic, edible, and therapeutic properties. Nevertheless, the pronounced morphological diversity and intricate genetic makeup of these species require the application of molecular techniques for precise identification and comprehensive assessment of genetic diversity.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study focuses on the morphological, molecular characterization, and phylogeny of wild Ficus species in Mizoram, Northeast India. Morphological traits of the plants and fruits were observed, and molecular analysis was conducted using DNA barcoding of the rbcL gene, with the resulting sequences submitted to NCBI GenBank. Significant variation in morphological traits was observed among the studied Ficus species. Phylogenetic analysis based on rbcL gene sequences confirmed genetic diversity, with notable genetic similarity identified in Ficus velutina (MTMZU12 and MTMZU13) despite their morphological similarity.

CONCLUSIONS

The study underscores how genetic and environmental factors shape morphology and shows that integrating molecular and morphological data improves phylogenetic resolution in Northeast India, a critical biodiversity hotspot.