A Study of Genetic Diversity in Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum) using Microsatellite Markers

Diversity of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) germplasm was evaluated using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. One hundred and forty durum wheat genotypes of diverse origin (belonging to ten countries) were assessed using 48 selected SSRs with whole genome coverage. A total of 245 allelic variants were detected at 37 polymorphic SSR loci, ranging from two to seventeen per locus with an average of 6.9. The polymorphic information content (PIC) values of the loci ranged from 0.007 (Xgwm 274) to 0.799 (Xgwm 427). Genetic similarities were assessed through simple matching method, ranging from 0.583 (two genotypes from Kermanshah and Khorram Abad, Iran) to 0.94 (two genotypes from Ahvaz/IRAN). Complete cluster analysis method based on genetic similarity estimates produced two main groupings. The results revealed a meaningful relationship between genetic diversity and geographical regions. Separate grouping of Iranian vs foreign germplasm indicates the different genetic origin in these genotypes. A wide range of genomic diversity was observed among all the genotypes, proving them to be prime candidates for selective breeding for specific traits and a broadening of the genetic base.