Estimating genetic diversity in Greek durum wheat landraces with RAPD markers

Using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method, the genetic diversity of 19 Greek landraces and 9 cultivars of durum wheat [ Triticum turgidum L. var. durum (Desf.)] was studied. Two commercial bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars and one genotype of Triticum monococcum L. were also included in the study. Eighty-seven arbitrary primers (10-mer) were evaluated in a preliminary experiment and 15 of them were selected for the main experiments based on the quality and reliability of their amplification and the polymorphism they revealed. A total of 150 DNA bands were obtained, 125 (83.3%) of which were polymorphic. On average, 10 DNA bands were amplified per primer, 8.3 of which were polymorphic. The genetic similarity between all pairs of genotypes was evaluated using the Jaccard’s or Nei and Li’s coefficients; the values of the former ranged from 0.153 to 0.973 while those of the latter were slightly higher (0.265–0.986). Cluster analysis was conducted by the UPGMA and the Njoin methods. Both methods broadly placed 26 durum genotypes into 1 branch while the other branch consisted of 2 subgroups: 1 included the 2 bread wheat cultivars; the other 1 consisted of 2 durum landraces, ‘Kontopouli’ and ‘Mavrotheri-Chios’, which showed an intruiging behaviour sharing bands with the bread wheat cultivars. The T. monococcum cultivar stood apart from all other genotypes.