Genetic Diversity and Population structure of selected Phoenix dactylifera L. Genotypes in Iran

摘要

Existing information on genetic diversity of plant species help to gain maximum benefit from breeding programs and underlies the improvement of crops. The success of genetic conservation is dependent on genetic variability that arises from genetic diversity. Although date palm is one of the most food crops in terms of genetic polymorphism studies, but affinities of Iranian date palm and data on the description and variability in these species is not sufficient. In this study, genetic association of 24 date-palm genotypes collected from different part of Bushehr province-Iran was determined for the first time. Analysis of simple sequence repeats markers and inter-simple sequence repeat markers was more or less similar and cluster analysis based on SSR, ISSR and their combined data clearly discriminated the genotypes into different clusters. Result of principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) was in agreement with cluster analysis with a few exceptions. DNA based markers (ISSR and SSR) could be effectively used for genetic diversity evaluation among date- palm genotypes. These results will be useful for the conservation of date-palm genotypes and also for the improvement of the date-palm breeding strategies.