Genetic diversity of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) genotypes for drought tolerance using RAPD markers

Abstract

In the present study the genetic diversity among different finger millet genotypes with different responses to drought stress was assessed with the help of RAPD markers. Initial screening involved 27 genotypes under drought conditions in laboratory using PEG-6000 treatment. Molecular characterization of these finger millet genotypes was done through eighteen RAPD primers. In RAPD analysis the total number of 25 bands was observed among the twenty seven finger millet genotypes. The number of scorable markers produced per primer ranged from 1 to 4 and size of the products ranged from 250 bp to 1300 bp. The PIC values, a reflection of allele diversity and frequency among the varieties, was highest for 35 ME 10T 23 primer and ranged from 0.659 (OPK 11 F) to 0.966 (35 ME 10T 23) with an average of 0.812. The resolving power varies from 0.370 (35 ME 10T 23) to 4.07 (OPJ 13F) with a mean value of 2.89. The Genetic similarity coefficient was highest (0.0.96) among four genotypic pairs while the lowest similarity index (0.28) was recorded by genotype PRM 8109 in pair with five genotypes viz PRM 701, PRM 8122, PRM 8104, PRM 6112 and PRM 6122 indicating them to be quite diverse. Cluster analysis by UPGMA method grouped the twenty seven finger millet genotypes into two distinct major clusters of 14 genotypes in one cluster and rest of the genotypes in the other cluster indicating presence of genetic diversity among the genotypes at molecular level.