Ann Osuagwu - Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
Celestine Uzoma Aguoru - Department of Botany and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
Lucky Osabuohien Omoigui - Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
Joseph Olalekan Olasan - Department of Botany and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria

Snake gourd botanically known as Trichosantes cucumerina locally called tomato agwo. T.cucumerina is considered a neglected and underutilised crop. Detailed characterisation of this crop is not known in Nigeria and other African countries. This study was done to access fourteen accessions of T. cucumerina from Nigeria using Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS). The fourteen accessions from different ecological regions were sequenced with ITS۱ and ITS۴ by direct PCR products. The results obtained were at minimum (۵۷۰) and maximum (۵۸۰) base pairs. The query coverage ranging from ۹۹.۴ % to ۱۰۰ % affirms positive amplification and sequencing of snake gourd ecotypes using ITS۱ and ITS۴. The phylogenetic tree of the characterization group T. cucumerina was divided into three clusters. The phylogenetic tree of the characterization grouped T.cucumerina into three clusters. The genetic distances between the samples revealed that Ukwa, NACGRAB, Ikwuano, Oshogbo, Ikom, and Rumibekwe were closely related. Benin, Nasarawa, Oye-Ekiti, Ilorin, and NHST-۰۵۸۳ shared no genetic relationship as revealed by their genetic distances. The genetic distance ranged from ۰.۲۱۷ - ۲.۰۱۰. T. cucumerina landraces studied in Nigeria thirteen were T. cucumerina var anguina. The NHST -۰۵۸۳ from the seed center was the only T.cucumerina var cucumerina in Nigeria. This was blasted on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website. The sequenced blast in the NCBI data website was to be similar to accession numbers GU۰۵۹۵۲۸.۱ and GQ۲۴۰۸۸۳.۱ respectively. These have given scientists critical knowledge regarding T. cucumerina molecular breeding in Nigeria.

ITS۱, ITS۴, phylogeny, Sequence, Snake gourd, Tomato agwo