GENETIC DIVERSITY OF MANGROVE Rhizophora mucronata IN EASTERN REGION OF TIMOR NTT ISLAND (RI – RDTL BORDER), INDONESIA

The aim of this study is to determine the genetic diversity of Rhizopora mucronata that grows in the East region of Timor Island, East Nusa Tenggara (a border between RI and RDTL). The sampling was carried out in 6 mangrove vegetation sites, then laboratory analysis was carried out at the Plant Physiology Laboratory, Tissue Culture Laboratory, Microtechnical Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory of University of Brawijaya. The study was conducted using quantitative descriptive methods. DNA is isolated from the leaves part of R. mucronata, then DNA is amplified with PCR-RAPD using 6 primers. DNA bands were scored and analyzed with the MVSP program using UPGMA method with the similarity coefficient of Nei & Li. The results showed that the 6 primers used, generate a length of DNA between 270-1345 bp, with the number of bands between 22-27. The percentage of polymorphism, has a range between 73.91-86.96% in all primers that are used, with Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) showing a value of 0.94. Thus, it can be concluded that the value of genetic diversity (He) from R. mucronata mangrove population that grows on Timor Island have a value of 0.666, and R. mucronata mangrove population that grows in Abudenok and Tanjung Bastian has the highest genetic diversity with a value of 0.667, while R. mucronata mangrove population in Tanjung Tuamese has the lowest genetic diversity with a value of 0.664. Based on the results of the dendogram analysis, it is classified that R. mucronata mangrove population that grows on Timor Island correlates with its geographical location. The adjacent populations have a tendency to form one subgroup.