Genetic Diversity and Relationship of Iranian and Exotic Almond Cultivars Using Microsatellite (SSR) Markers

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Abstract

Genetic diversity and relationships among 53 almond cultivars from Iran and foreign countries were evaluated using fifteen microsatellite (SSR) loci. Totally 131 alleles were observed with size ranking between 75 to 205bp and 4 to 13 alleles with an average 8.73 alleles and 5.92 effective alleles per locus. Expected heterozygosity varied between 0.63 and 0.92 with an average of 0.81 per locus. Average PIC and PD were 0.81 and 0.77, respectively. The results revealed high level of heterozygosity in almond accessions, with variable range from low (0.2) to high (0.73). There were high variability and different similarity from low (0.039) to high (0.96) among the almond accessions. Results of cluster analysis using UPGMA algorithm based on Dice similarity coefficient categorized cultivars in eight main groups indicating high levels of genetic diversity among the almond cultivars, however, in some cases high similarities were found among some Iranian and foreign cultivars. The great diversity among Iranian almond cultivars shows a rich source of almond germplasm which can be used in breeding programs.

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Seed and Plant Journal
Volume 31, Issue 1
May 2015
Pages 25-53

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