Evaluation of genetic diversity among Iranian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars, using ISSR and RAPD markers

Considering the high level of morphological diversity in Iranian pomegranate cultivars, comparison of genetic variation among 24 pomegranate cultivars was evaluated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. RAPD primers amplified 131 DNA fragments among which 29 were polymorphic (22.14%) and ISSR markers produced 173 amplification products, out of which 64 were polymorphic (37%). Mean PIC (polymorphic information content) was 0.128 for RAPD and 0.163 for ISSR. The results suggested that the ISSR markers produced much better reproducible bands and were more efficient in grouping cultivars. Pairwise similarity index values ranged from 0.353 to 1.0 (RAPD), 0.291 to 0.930 (ISSR) and mean similarity index values of 0.604 and 0.674 for RAPD and ISSR, respectively. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) for RAPD and ISSR data showed no significant differences among the geographical regions and juice acidity of the used cultivars (P>0.05) indicated that genetic and geographic distances were not correlated.