An Investigation of the Genetic Diversity of Pomegranate Genotypes Prevailent in Tarume - Zanjan Using RAPD Markers

Pomegranate is an importantly popular fruit crop with Iran the main center of its diversity throghout the World. The richest pomegranate genetic resources believed to exist in Iran. The present investigation was carried out to study the genetic diversity of 15 genotypes of pomegranate in Tarume Zanjan making use of RAPD markers. Genomic DNA was extracted from the plant,s leaf, and tested for the perspective quality and quantity features in PCR reaction. A set of 39 arbitrary primers was used that produced 273 reliable bands among which 201 bands were polymorphic and 72 monomorphic. RAPD data was used to compute genetic similarities as based on Simple Matching (SM) index. Data analysis was carried out through NTSYS-2.2 software. Finally a dendrogram was constructed using SMC similarity coefficient and UPGMA method. The highest and lowest similarity coefficients were found aqual to 83% and 59%, respectively. In cluster analysis, the genotypes were divided into two clusters, 'Post-nazok' being placed in one cluster, and the remaining 14 genotypes grouped together. Co-phentic correlation coefficient between similarity matrix and the Coph matrix amounted to 76%. Results of Principal Coordinate Analysis supported the cluster analysis results. RAPD profiling was found effictive in revealing the DNA polymorphism among the genotypes. RAPD data indicated a relatively low level of genetic diversity among the studied genotypes. 'Poost-nazok' genotype, individually separated from the others, can be a promising candidate in breeding genotypes, grouping as based on PCA, confirming the results of the cluster analysis.