Detected molecular markers for Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) using ISSR and SSR under Egyptian conditions

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is worldwide forage and grown in different environmental conditions. This high geographical adaptation stimulates the genetic variation and gives breeders the possibility of using highly diverse gene pools. In this work five of Egyptian alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) cultivars of different geographic origin (Ismailia 1, Ismailia 2, Nubaria 1, Ramah and Sewi) in addition to the Australian cultivar (Medicago truncatula ) to complete a set of six cultivars represent six genotypes were evaluated for their responses to water regime on the level of some morphological characters such as flag leaf, stem diameter, plant height, leaf length and weight of 1000 grains then undergone a test for their genetic diversity with two selected molecular markers SSR and ISSR . The ISSR marker is more discriminating, provides more informative data than SSR marker. The five used ISSR primers succeeded in identifying four positive markers, the A1 & A2 primers generated positive bands at molecular size 650 & 510 bp in Nubaria 1 & Australian respectively which positively mark the width of flag leaf, stem diameter plant height and the pods productivity when correlates the obtained ISSR results with some of yield traits. The Sewi, Ramah and Australian cultivars which scored the highest plant and larger leaves under water regime are close relatives and genes can flow smoothly among them to produce new Alfalfa genotype with high tolerance to water deficit. Also, Ismailia 1 & 2 and Nubaria 1 are close relatives can exchange genes in between smoothly.