Gynandropsis gynandra strain:spider plant Variation. Gynandropsis gynandra strain:spider plant

Spider plant (Cleome gynandra L., 2n=34) plays a crucial role in livelihoods, health, nutrition, and food diversity across Africa. While it is extensively cultivated in subtropical and pacific regions, its origins are traced back to Africa and Southeast Asia. The growing demand for spider plant stems from its potential to improve health, boost income, and address food and nutrition insecurity, especially in the context of anticipated climate change. Despite its numerous nutritional and food security benefits, spider plant has not received adequate research and development focus. Accessions of spider plant are conserved ex situ by gene banks and research institutions and in situ by farmers. Diversity studies utilize molecular markers to elucidate phylogenetic relationships, genetic distances, and population structures. DArTseq markers, employing GBS technology, provide a sequence-independent genotyping system with a broad range of markers covering the entire genome, offering both SNP and in silico markers that are highly informative, aiding in diversity estimation and enabling genome-wide association studies. This research, building on prior phenotypic characterizations of available spider plant accessions, aimed to characterize the genetic diversity and population structures of C. gynandra L. accessions collected from diverse agroecological zones in Zimbabwe. The findings are expected to guide conservation strategies and breeding endeavors for this underutilized yet invaluable crop.