Phylogenetic Relationships among Vietnamese Cocoa Accessions using a Non-coding Region of the Chloroplast DNA.

LAM THI VIET HA; DO TAN KHANG; HELENA EVERAERT; TRAN NHAN DUNG; PHAM HONG DUC PHUOC; HA THANH TOAN; KOEN DEWETTINCK; KATHY MESSENS

LAM THI VIET HA Laboratory of Food Technology and Engineering, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium: 3 Biotechnology Research and Development Institute, Cantho University, Campus II, 3/2 Street, Cantho city, Vietnam: Laboratory Agri Fing, Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium

DO TAN KHANG Graduate School of International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8529, Japan: Biotechnology Research and Development Institute, Cantho University, Campus II, 3/2 Street, Cantho city, Vietnam

HELENA EVERAERT Laboratory of Food Technology and Engineering, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium: Laboratory Agri Fing, Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium

TRAN NHAN DUNG Biotechnology Research and Development Institute, Cantho University,Campus II, 3/2 Street, Cantho city,Vietnam

PHAM HONG DUC PHUOC Cocoa Research Institute, Nonglam University,Kha Van Can street, Hochiminh,Vietnam

HA THANH TOAN Biotechnology Research and Development Institute, Cantho University,Campus II, 3/2 Street, Cantho city,Vietnam

KOEN DEWETTINCK Laboratory of Food Technology and Engineering, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University,Coupure links 653, 9000 Gent,Belgium

KATHY MESSENS Laboratory Agri Fing, Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University,Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent,Belgium

Cocoa cultivation has increased in tropical areas around the world, including Vietnam, due to the high demand of cocoa beans for chocolate production. The genetic diversity of cocoa genotypes is recognized to be complex, however, their phylogenetic relationships need to be clarified. The present study aimed to classify the cocoa genotypes, that are imported and cultivated in Vietnam, based on a chloroplast DNA region. Sixty-three Vietnamese Cocoa accessions were collected from different regions in Southern Vietnam. Their phylogenetic relationships were identified using the universal primers cB49317 and d-A49855 from the chloroplast DNA region. The sequences were situated in the trnL intron genes which are identify the closest terrestrial plant species of the chloroplast genome. DNA sequences were determined and subjected to an analysis of the phylogenetic relationship using the maximum evolution method. The genetic analysis showed clustering of 63 cocoa accessions in three groups: the domestically cultivated Trinitario group, the Indigenous cultivars, and the cultivations from Peru. The analyzed sequencing data also illustrated that the TD accessions and CT accessions were related genetically closed. Based on those results the genetic relation between PA and NA accessions was established as the hybrid origins of the TD and CT accessions. Some foreign accessions, including UIT, SCA and IMC accessions were confirmed of their genetic relationship. The present study is the first report of phylogenetic relationships of Vietnamese cocoa collections. The cocoa program in Vietnam has been in development for thirty years.