Study of the Molecular Biodiversity of the Saharan Bread Wheat in Algeria

Abstract

Climate change has significantly affected wheat yield. Many studies have suggested that rising temperatures could be harmful to cereals around the world. Thus, the valorization of the desert wheat resources is essential to improve the resistance of this species to climate change. In this context, twenty-eight different local Saharan bread wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) genotypes were described using ten preselected SSR markers. The tested SSRs produced a total number of 20 alleles with an allelic size ranged from 100 pb (WMC261) to 400 pb (WMC257). The allele frequency varied from 0.1 for the allele 230 pb (WMC156) to 1 for the alleles 187 pb, 310 pb (WMC97, WMC168). Likewise, the PIC values ranged from 0 (WMC97, WMC168) to 0.5 (WMC327, WMC233), with an average of 0.34 and the observed heterozygosity (Ho) from 0 to 0.88, with an average of 0.55. The molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed the highest level of intra-population differentiation of local Saharan bread wheat (97%) and the statistical geometric distributions based on PCoA, NJ method and structure analysis confirmed the existence of four major classes of bread wheat. These results substantiate the previous researches based on the morphological markers and contribute for the first time in Algeria to create the genetic fingerprint of the Saharan bread wheat resources and to valorize their drought resistance potential through breeding programs.