Genetic diversity and relationship of Iranian Cicer minicore collection

A rich and diverse germplasm collection is the backbone of every successful crop improvementprograms. The genetic variability is the raw material of crop breeding industry on which selectionacts to evolve superior genotypes. To establish genetic diversity among 40 genotypes includingcultivars, landraces, internationally developed improved lines and wild relatives, genetic diversityand relationship were evaluated using 16 SSR markers with 100 marker loci. Estimation of meannumber of allele per locus na, the effective allele number ne, and Wright fixation index F were 6.25, 3.67 and 0.44, respectively. Polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from0.84 (locus NCPGR6 and Ta135) to 0.44 (locus NCPGR7) with an average of 0.68. Dicecoefficient similarity matrix for studied chickpea genotypes varied from 0.07 to 1.00 indicating abroader genetic base among genotypes studied. The maximum similarity, 1.00, observed betweengenotypes Sel 96TH11484 and Sel 96TH11485 while the lowest one, 0.07, observed betweengenotypes Sel 95TH1716 and Azad. Based on UPGMA clustering method, the studied genotypeswere clustered in eight groups, which indicated the probable origin and region similarity oflandraces such as clustering of Shahindezh, Ghermezi nukhod, and Mahabad, local Iran landracestogether. It also represents a wide diversity among available minicore germplasm.

Keywords:

UPGMA clustering , Iranian chickpea landraces , wild species , AMOVA , SSR