DECIPHERING MOLECULAR DIVERSITY AND GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS IN BREAD WHEAT GERMPLASM USING SSR MARKERS

Abstract

Genetic diversity assessment is essential for the effective characterization and utilization of wheat germplasm in breeding programmes. The present study evaluated the molecular diversity and genetic relationships among 55 bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A total of 39 SSR markers were screened, of which 21 were polymorphic and used for molecular diversity analysis. The polymorphic markers produced 1–3 alleles per locus, with a mean of 1.62 alleles, while polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.106 to 0.847, with a mean of 0.462. Mean resolving power and marker index were 0.723 and 0.490, respectively. Jaccard’s similarity coefficient ranged from 0.296 to 1.000, revealing substantial molecular variation among the genotypes. UPGMA analysis grouped the genotypes into six clusters, with three genotypes forming distinct singleton clusters. The observed molecular differentiation demonstrated the presence of genetically diverse material within the studied germplasm. The identified informative SSR markers and divergent genotypes may be useful for germplasm characterization and selection of diverse parents to broaden the genetic base of wheat breeding programmes.