Chemical and molecular characterizations of species of the geneses thymus and satureja distributed in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

In this study, it is aimed to determine the chemical components and molecular characterization of Thymus and Satureja species, which are collected from the natural flora of the Eastern Mediterranean Region and called thyme. In the study, 2 Satureja cuneifolia, 2 Satureja thymbra, 4 Thymus sipyleus, 2 Thymus cilicicus, 1 Thymus eigii and 1 Thymus leucotrichus specimens collected from different localities within the provincial borders of Adana and Mersin were used as material. The essential oil content and essential oil components in these plants collected from the natural flora were determined. The essential oil ratios were between 0.38% and 0.73% in Thymus sipyleus, 0.89% and 1.8% in Thymus cilicicus, 3.43% in Thymus eigii, 2.85% and 3.70% in Satureja cuneifolia, 4.44% and 4.85% in Satureja thymbra. Molecular characterization of collected plant materials; Genetically fingerprinted with Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 50 thyme genotypes were screened with 8 ISSR primers and the genetic differences between the genotypes were determined and the genetic characteristics of the gene sources were revealed. As a result of the study, a total of 166 polymorphic bands were obtained, while the primary that produced the most bands was ISSR844 with 26 bands. Polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged between 0.17 and 0.24, and the mean PIC value was determined as 0.22.