Genetic Diversity of Nigerian Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) Germplasm based on Microsatellite Markers

Abstract

Characterization of date palm cultivars is a complex task using morphological traits alone since morphological markers are dependent on plant developmental stage and influenced by the environment. However, DNA fingerprinting can complement and enhance the discriminatory power of morphological traits. The study was conducted to investigate genetic diversity amongst fourteen cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) from Nigeria and Saudi Arabia using microsatellite markers. The aim was to determine the genetic and geographical patterns of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia date palms. Molecular study conducted using six microsatellite markers employed on fourteen cultivars, ten from Nigeria and four from Saudi Arabia, revealed 83.3% polymorphism which indicated high genetic diversity among the cultivars studied. The amplified products ranged in size from 127 to 304 bp. A total of 42 alleles with an average of seven alleles per locus were scored. Two of the markers, MpdCIR025 and MpdCIR050, distinctively characterized six cultivars. This study indicated that variation observed among the cultivars followed a geographical pattern. However, this study was not able to show any alleles that might be linked to gender in date cultivars. Inclusion of more molecular markers in such a study might provide more accurate differentiation and possibly gender discrimination in date palm.