https://www.journaljalsi.com/index.php/JALSI <p><strong>Journal of Applied Life Sciences International (ISSN: 2394-1103)</strong> aims to publish high quality papers (<a href="https://journaljalsi.com/index.php/JALSI/general-guideline-for-authors">Click here for Types of paper</a>) in all areas of ‘applied life sciences’. By not excluding papers based on novelty, this journal facilitates the research and wishes to publish papers as long as they are technically correct and scientifically motivated. The journal also encourages the submission of useful reports of negative results. This is a quality controlled, OPEN peer-reviewed, open-access INTERNATIONAL journal.</p> <p><strong>NAAS Score: 4.53 (2026)</strong></p> en-US [email protected] (Journal of Applied Life Sciences International) [email protected] (Journal of Applied Life Sciences International) Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:40:32 +0000 OJS 3.3.0.21 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 https://www.journaljalsi.com/index.php/JALSI/article/view/782 <p><strong>Aims: </strong>To assess the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity among selected Araceae taxa in Southwestern Nigeria using plastid DNA sequences, and to determine their evolutionary relationships and taxonomic placement.</p> <p><strong>Study Design:</strong> A molecular phylogenetic study based on plastid DNA sequence analysis.</p> <p><strong>Place and Duration of Study:</strong> Plant samples were collected from various locations in Southwestern Nigeria; laboratory analyses (DNA extraction and purification, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis) were conducted over the study period of one year.</p> <p><strong>Methodology:</strong> Sixteen species from five genera (<em>Aglaonema, Dieffenbachia, Alocasia, Colocasia,</em> and <em>Xanthosoma</em>) were analyzed, with two <em>Philodendron</em> species as outgroups. Plastid DNA regions (<em>trnL–F, rpl32–trnL,</em> and <em>trnV–ndhC</em> intergenic spacers) were sequenced following standard protocols. Bayesian inference was used to construct phylogenetic trees, with posterior probabilities assessing clade support.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> The phylogenetic tree constructed from over 2,000 base pairs revealed the monophyletic status of the five genera studied and resolved the taxa into four major clades consistent with existing tribal and generic classifications within Araceae. The tree topology showed strong Bayesian posterior probability support, indicating reliable evolutionary relationships among the taxa. <em>Colocasia, Alocasia,</em> and <em>Xanthosoma</em> occupied relatively basal positions in the phylogeny, while <em>Aglaonema</em> and <em>Dieffenbachia</em> appeared to be more recently evolved. Intrageneric relationships among taxa were also clearly established.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Plastid DNA markers effectively resolved phylogenetic relationships among the studied Araceae taxa. The findings validate existing tribal and generic classifications and provide insights into the evolutionary relationships of economically and medicinally important aroids in Nigeria.</p> O. O. Arogundade, O. Adedeji, J. J. Le Roux Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. https://www.journaljalsi.com/index.php/JALSI/article/view/782 Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000