MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION AND GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF WILD APRICOTS (PRUNUS ARMENIACA L.) FROM TURKEY USING SSR MARKERS

Abstract

In the present study we used a total of 29 wild apricot genotypes sampled from 3 regions (Erzincan, Coruh valley, and Aras valley) which were evaluated by means of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. In total, 16 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were used and 98 alleles were revealed with a mean number of 6.13 alleles per locus and mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.66 showing a high genetic diversity of Turkish wild apricots. A larger expected heterozygote than the observed was found in the analyzed genotypes. Clustering of individual accessions based on UPGMA dendrogram separated accessions into three major clusters according to their geographic origin and indicating high variability among genotypes. The information obtained in this study implies that the studied genotypes were distant from each other and can be used for apricot breeding strategies and for the management and the conservation of Turkish apricot germplasm.