Genetic diversity of rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) in China and the temporal trends in recent fifty years

To understand geographical distribution of the genetic diversity of rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) and its trends in recent fifty years in China, 453 accessions were analyzed by 36 microsatellites loci and 42 phenotypic traits. Results revealed that the genetic diversity by SSRs is highly consistent with that by phenotypic traits and the genetic diversity of indica cultivars was higher than that of japonica cultivars; the genetic diversity of cultivars declined from 1950s to 1980s and then increased greatly; among the six rice ecological zones (REZs), genetic diversity of REZ II was the highest and those of REZ V and REZ VI were the lowest at both DNA and phenotypic level. Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River and Sichuan province in southwest of China were the areas with the highest genetic diversity. Breeders in REZ V which is an important japonica rice area but with very low genetic diversity should explore more gene resources to widen the genetic backgrounds of cultivars.