Assessment of genetic diversity among Crataegus genotypes by Application of ISSR markers in Ardabil province

The genus Crataegus spp. (Hawthorn) is belongs to Rosaceae family. The hawthorn can be utilized as a rootstock as well as an ornamental plant. The fruits are sources of many essential nutrients and have beneficial effects on human health. The Crataegus genus has been founded in different areas such as Iran, especially in the Ardabil region. The collection and conservation of genetic material is important for future breeding programs. In this purpose, thirty hawthorn genotypes collected from several regions (Fandoghlo, Namin, Khalkhal, Aladizgeh, Germi) of Ardebil province and their genetic variations investigated with 15 ISSR markers. According to the results, all 15 primers amplified and produced total 128 bands (average = 8.53), as well as showed high polymorphism information content (average = %38.06). The results showed that there is a high level of genetic diversity and polymorphism ratio among the wild genotypes of hawthorn in the Ardabil region. Based on WARD technique, genotypes classified into three main clusters with several sub-clusters that exhibited high genetic diversity. The Germi genotypes completely isolated from the rest of the genotypes, which according to the structure analysis results, were similar to the Khalkhal genotypes.