Microsatellite-based heterotic grouping of temperate maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an essential cereal crop globally, with breeding efforts aiming to develop high-yielding hybrids through heterotic patterns. This study assessed the feasibility of classifying 51 maize inbred lines into the heterotic groups using 30 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Out of the 30 marker pairs tested, 28 displayed polymorphism, producing a total of 68 alleles, ranging from 2 to 4 alleles per locus, with an average of 2.43 alleles per locus. The primers umc2152 and Bnlg1194 exhibited the highest number of alleles, while the marker mmc0481 had the highest allele frequency. Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values ranged from 0.08 to 0.93, with an average value of 0.56. The highest ∆K value resulted in the classification of the inbred lines into five distinct heterotic groups. The findings suggest that SSR markers effectively reveal significant genetic diversity, making them valuable tools for the classification of maize inbred lines. This categorization can assist in identifying heterotic patterns and predicting heterosis for future hybrid production.