Assessment of genetic diversity in Triticum boeoticum populations using CBDP and ISSR molecular markers

Wild relatives are valuable genetic source for wheat breeding programs. Triticum boeoticum is an important wild relative of wheat. Eastern and central parts of the Fertile Crescent are the origins of T. boeoticum. In the present study, the genetic diversity among 39 accessions of T. boeoticum collected from North and South areas of Zagros was investigated using ISSR and CBDP markers. ISSR and CBDP primers generated 230 and 65 scorable polymorphic bands respectively. According to ISSR and CBDP data, the average of genetic distance between genotypes were 0.36 and 0.40 respectively. Polymorphism information content for ISSR and CBDP primers ranged from 0.24 to 0.38 and 0.23 to 0.43 respectively. Cluster analysis based on combined(ISSR and CBDP) data using UPGMA method classified all accessions into two main groups, although two accessions(31,35) classified individually. This clustering was supported by principal coordinate analyses (PCoA). This classification was in accordance with their eco-geographical distribution. The results of AMOVA indicated that 94% of the molecular variance was partitioned within populations, while the genetic variation between populations was 6%. According to Shannon’s index(I), Nei’s genetic diversity(He), the observed(Na) and effective (Ne) number of alleles, the northern population had a higher level of genetic diversity than the southern population.The Results indicated a desirable genetic diversity in Triticum boeoticum and confirmed that the CBDP markers as well as ISSR markers are suitable tools for studying genetic diversity in wild relatives of wheat.