Genetic diversity of pepper genotypes as assessed by SRAP markers

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Turkey’s geographical position have played an important role in the spread of pepper cultivation toneighboring countries. A large number of commercial cultivars and landraces are used in pepperproduction in Turkey. The performance of pepper breeding depends on discovery of new sources ofgenetic variation, identification of accessions with useful traits, and their combination with desiredagronomic properties. Characterization and evaluation are the first steps in the development of newcultivars. This study was carried to asses molecular characterization of 94 local pepper accessions byusing SRAP (sequence related amplified polymorphism) marker system. The plant materials examinedin the present study were obtained from the source of pepper landraces evaluated for agromorphologicalcharacters during the experiments in 2004-2007. Molecular characterization studiesrevealed that the examined plant collection displayed high genetic diversity, and most of the accessionsshowed low genetic similarities which resulted in greater distances on the dendrogram. Molecularanalysis performed with 33 SRAP combinations showed that 85% of total variance wastaken place in 9factor groups, and genetic differences varied between 62 and 94% among pepper genotypes. Presentstudy highlights that these results may make a valuable contribution to further pepper breedingprograms and the characterized plant pepper collection may reduce the period of breeding.

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Breeding. Molecular. characterization. Pepper. SRAP markers. Variability

Anadolu Journal Of Agricultural Sciences

329

Anadolu Journal Of Agricultural Sciences