Genetic diversity measured by simple sequence repeat variations among the wild soybean, Glycine soja, collected along the riverside of five major rivers in Korea.

Abstract

Genetic diversity and differentiation among the wild soybeans, Glycine soja, collected from riversides of five major rivers in Korea have been analyzed with simple sequence repeat variations. When the genetic diversity in this study was compared to those of cultivated soybeans reported by others, the wild soybeans showed significantly higher genetic diversity and differentiation than those of cultivated soybeans. The number of alleles observed in this study varied from a low of 9 to high of 14 and 82 different alleles were observed among the 57 wild soybeans at seven SSR loci. The genetic diversity measured by the number of effective alleles also varied from 4.8 to 9.1 with an average of 6.8. When the genetic diversity was converted to population differentiation, the SSR alleles showed 0.8 to 0.89 depending on the SSR locus with an average of 0.86. There was no predominantly present allele (or alleles) to specific sub population. Although the highest genetic diversity was observed in the subpopulation from Nakdong river, the subpopulation from Sumjin river showed the highest genetic differentiation value. In the phenetic relationship analysis, the 57 wild soybeans were differentiated at the genetic similarity of 0.83. Since the clustering pattern did not correspond with the geographical origins where they collected, the genetic diversity and differentiation of the wild soybeans could predate the dispersal of the wild soybeans along the rivers.