Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Using RAPD Markers

Abstract

This research was carried out to determine the genetic distances and variability between some safflower landraces and registered varieties. As plant material, four safflower landraces (TR 49119, TR 42630, TR 42670 and TR 64702) and three registered varieties (Yenice 5-38, Remzibey 05 and Dinçer 5-118) obtained from the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute, Turkey were used. The safflower varieties were analyzed at the molecular level using RAPD markers. The polymorphic band ratios of ten RAPD primers varied from 33.3% to (OPK-11) 80% (OPS-04). The average polymorphic band ratio was found to be 63.9%. The polymorphism information content values of the RAPD primers ranged from 0.24 for OPC-03 to 0.46 for OPA-19. The mean PIC value was determined as 0.38. The mean resolution power value was found to be 3.37, the effective multiplex ratio value was 4.14, and the marker index value was 1.57. The genetic distances were obtained using NTSYS-pc 2.20j statistic package program according to Jaccard’s similarity coefficient. The genetic similarity values of the safflower genotypes varied between 0.61 and 0.85. The average similarity was calculated as 0.69. The cluster analyses of the RAPD markers grouped the genotypes into two major clusters (UPGMA dendrogram). With slight differences, the landraces and registered varieties were included in separate groups. The TR 64702 line and Remzibey 05 registered variety were genetically most similar genotypes with a value of 0.85.