Use of SSR data to determine relationships among early maturing Iranian maize inbred lines

Abstract

Information on germplasm diversity and relationships among elite materials is fundamentally important in hybrid crop improvement, Maize (Zea mays L.) is a crop of major economic importance in Iran, but most hybrids are developed in Iran by using inbreds extracted from hybrids introduced from other countries. Pedigree and genetic information is often lacking for these inbreds. The objective of this study was to determine the level of genetic diversity within and relationships among the most commonly used Iranian maize inbred lines using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Thirty-six Iranian inbred lines and two line from the International Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT) were fingerprinted with SSR markers. A total of alleles, moderate levels of diversity, and a high number of unique alleles were found in these lines. UPGMA clustering grouped the Iranian inbred into four clusters and the two CIMMT lines formed a separate and more distant cluster. Clustering was consistent with the known information about source materials. The highest distance was found between the CIMMYT lines and the cluster containing the Lancaster Sure Crop related lines. The genetic distance information may be used by breeders when planning futures crosses among these inbred lines.