Average Polymorphism Information Content Value Research Articles

Genetic diversity studies between Ipomoea wild species and cultivated sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) using SSR markers

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) is one of the major tuber crops in Asian countries, including India, yet the interrelationship and genetic variability among the cultivar and its crop wild relatives remain obscure. The wild relatives of sweet potato represent a vital source of untapped genetic diversity in the breeding programs. In this study, a set of 12 Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) markers were utilized to understand the extent of genetic diversity and relationship within and between 20 sweet potato accessions, 23 wild Ipomoea species and two Merremia species for utilization in breeding programmes. The SSR primers produced 84 polymorphic alleles within the range of 105-393 bp, collectively showing an average polymorphism of 94.5%. The average Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) value of 0.67 showed that all the primers were polymorphic in nature. Similarity coefficient based dendrogram and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) scatter plot clearly differentiated all the cultivars and wild species. The cluster dendrogram analysis revealed the close relationship of cultivars with I. triloba and I. trifida at a similarity index of 0.75. Our analysis showed a high degree of genetic variability within and between hexaploid sweet potato and diploid wild species, whereas lower within the cultivars, which shows that there is a high level of genetic diversity exists within the Ipomoea species for its utilization in breeding programs. Thus, the two wild species, I. trifida and I. triloba could be used in hybridization for improvement of sweet potato through ploidy manipulation.

Genetic structure and molecular analysis of the species of the genus Artemisia L. (Asteraceae) distributed in Azerbaijan

In this study, the phylogenetic relationships and genetic structure of 10 collected genotypes of Artemisia szowitziana (Besser) Grossh and Artemisia fragrans Willd. species from different regions of Azerbaijan were investigated using RAPD primers. A total of 94 amplicons were amplified using selected RAPD primers. Among them 3 band with OPA-02 primers and 12 band with OPW-17 primers were amplified. The highest polymorphism among the investigated RAPD markers was 100, 90.91 and 90%, which has been obtained by OPW-17, OPT-19, and OPT-20 primers, respectively. However, the calculated average value of polymorphism was as high as 72.79% based on 10 different RAPD markers. The average PIC (Polymorphism Information Content) value (0.864) has indicated the rich genetic diversity among the studied samples. The cluster analyses by using Jaccard similarity index and UPGMA method classified all Artemisia L. samples into 6 major groups. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) justified 74.22% of the total variance. Based on the results obtained, it has been observed that there is a wide range of diversity in the molecular level between the population of Artemisia szowitziana (1-2 and 4-6 samples) and Artemisia fragrans (3, 5, 7 and 8, 9, 10 samples) and between population of the Artemisia species in Azerbaijan.

Genetic variability analysis of tomato varieties using rapd markers under heat stress

Heat stress threatens agricultural and food security by reducing yield and causing plant death. The use of intra-genetic diversity in heat stress responses is a potential avenue for harnessing tolerance to climate change circumstances. This study investigated the genetic diversity of twelve tomato genotypes in Bangladesh, focusing on their suitability for summer cultivation using seven Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The banding patterns obtained from the PCR results were used to identify genetic differences between individuals. The RAPD markers were found to show their effectiveness in discriminating the studied lines through the computation of average Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) values, particularly focusing on dominant markers with PIC values ranging from 0 to 0.5, emphasizing the informative nature of the employed primers. Cluster analysis grouped several genotypes with possible common ancestry. Overall, BARI Hybrid Tomato 4, BARI Hybrid Tomato 8, A12, D13, and RHS1 emerged as promising candidates for further genetic research and breeding programs, particularly in the context of heat-stress conditions during summer tomato cultivation in Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Bot. 53(1): 91-100, 2024 (March)

Molecular characterization of Turkish hazelnut cultivars and genotypes using SSR markers

This study defines the genetic characterization of 16 hazelnut varieties and 64 genotypes. SSR method was used in molecular characterization studies. 18 SSR primers were used. In the SSR method, 118 bands were obtained, and 115 were polymorphic. The similarity coefficient in overall genotypes were between 0.12 and 0.98 in SSR andthe polymorphism rate of the primer pairs used was calculated as 98.0%. The lowest polymorphism information content value (0.542) was obtained from the CAC- C 028 locus, and the highest polymorphism information content value (0.987) was obtained from the CAC- B 113 locus. The average polymorphism information content value was 0.786. The total discrimination power values of SSR loci were determined as 17.98; the lowest (0.748) discrimination power value was obtained from the CAC- B 020 locus, while the highest (1.404) discrimination power value was obtained from the CAC- A 024 b locus. The genotypes’clustering positions across the dendograms were essentially correlated with their geographic origins. This result shows that genetic origin plays an important role in terms of classification of genotypes in hazelnut.

Population genetic variation and geographic distribution of suitable areas of Coptis species in China.

The rhizomes of Coptis plants have been used in traditional Chinese medicine over 2000 years. Due to increasing market demand, the overexploitation of wild populations, habitat degradation and indiscriminate artificial cultivation of Coptis species have severely damaged the native germplasms of species in China. Genome-wide simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed using the genomic data of C. chinensis. Population genetic diversity and structure of 345 Coptis accessions collected from 32 different populations were performed based on these SSRs. The distribution of suitable areas for three taxa in China was predicted and the effects of environmental variables on genetic diversity in relation to different population distributions were further analyzed. 22 primer pairs were selected as clear, stable, and polymorphic SSR markers. These had an average of 16.41 alleles and an average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.664. In the neighbor-joining (N-J) clustering analysis, the 345 individuals clustered into three groups, with C. chinensis, C. chinensis var. brevisepala and C. teeta being clearly separated. All C. chinensis accessions were further divided into four subgroups in the population structure analysis. The predicted distributions of suitable areas and the environmental variables shaping these distributions varied considerably among the three species. Overall, the amount of solar radiation, precipitation and altitude were the most important environmental variables influencing the distribution and genetic variation of three species. The findings will provide key information to guide the conservation of genetic resources and construction of a core reserve for species.

Identification of polymorphic markers for germplasm conservation of three precious Chinese palace goldfish using whole-genome sequencing.

China was the first country in the world to breed goldfish and has generated many unique goldfish varieties, including the most aristocratic Chinese palace goldfish. Due to the lack of scientific research on Chinese palace goldfish, their selection and breeding are mainly carried out through traditional hybridization, leading to serious inbreeding and the degradation of germplasm resources. To this end, whole-genome resequencing was performed to understand the genetic variation among three different varieties (eggpompons, goosehead, and tigerhead) from nine core conserved populations in China. A total of 15 polymorphic SSRs were developed for population genetics, and all tested populations were considered moderately polymorphic with an average polymorphism information content value of 0.4943. Genetic diversity in different varieties showed that all conserved populations were well protected with the potential for continued exploitation. This study provides reliable molecular tools and a basis for designing conservation and management programs in Chinese palace goldfish.

Genetic diversity of maize resources revealed by different molecular markers

AbstractMaize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal crop in the world because of its nutritional value and industrial benefits. Molecular markers are used mainly by the breeders to study the genetic variability of genotypes and its application in the breeding process. Two types of molecular markers, 10 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers and 10 start codon target (SCoT) primers, were assayed to determine the genetic diversity of 25 Slovak maize lines and 25 maize cultivars. A high level of polymorphism was found with both RAPD and SCoT markers, which was confirmed by high average polymorphism information content (PIC) values using both techniques. The efficiency of individual marker techniques in the detection of genotype diversity can be compared by calculating the marker index (MI), detecting diversity index (DDI), discriminating power, resolving power (RP) and other indices. A higher MI (11.788), DDI (2.358) and RP (53.08) value was achieved by the SCoT technique compared to the RAPD method. Three joint dendrograms and PCoA plots constructed based on RAPD, SCoT and both methods combined confirmed the unambiguous separation of maize lines and cultivars from each other. The results obtained from the RAPD and SCoT analysis can be used for the selection of potentially suitable biological sources for further marker-assisted breeding.

Diversity Analysis of 53 Soybean Accessions Introduced from China Based on Morphological Characteristics and SSR Markers

Indonesia still faces challenges in meeting its national soybean demand. Genetic diversity can provide new resources to improve soybean production and quality. Genetic diversity of 53 soybean accessions introduced from China, based on morphological characteristics and 17 SSR markers, was analyzed in this study. Principal component analysis (PCA) conducted on morphological characters produced a total diversity value of 64.67% and identified four main components. Based on phylogenetic analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) two accessions showed low genetic similarity of 78% (China cult-55 and Mi yang niu mao huang), which indicated that they could be selected as parents for plant breeding programs. In addition, 772 SSR alleles at an average of 45 alleles per locus were detected. The average heterozygosity was 0.83, and the average polymorphic information content (PIC) value was 0.96. All SSR markers showed a PIC value > 0.8, indicating their informativeness in analyzing genetic diversity of soybean. The phylogenetic analysis indicated a genetic similarity of 82% and the accessions were grouped into two main clusters. The phylogenetic analysis depicted that several accessions could be grouped based on the growth type and origin. The results of morphological characterization and molecular markers in the analysis of genetic diversity are beneficial for selecting parental crosses when developing new varieties.

Molecular characterization and diversity analysis of promising tgms lines and high-yieding varieties In rice by using ssr markers

The present investigation was intended to assess the extent of genetic diversity present among the selected genotypes of Oryza sativa (including TGMS lines) using SSR markers. The SSR markers used for the study gave average Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) value of 0.551. The primer RM 9 followed by RM 536 has given maximum PIC value and the primer RM 29 gave the minimum. It was inferred that the primers RM 9 and RM 536 had been the better choices in this study. The lines, TS09 24 and TS09 26 were in the same cluster as they derived from the same parents. The TGMS lines TS 29 and TNAU 27S are in separate cluster from other parents indicating that these lines are highly diversified and their crosses can give improved cultivars. Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(4): 1067-1070, 2023 (December)

Genetic relationship of kasturi mango (Mangifera casturi Kosterm.) from South Kalimantan and Riau based on microsatellite markers

Mangifera casturi Kosterm is one of the endemic fruits from South Kalimantan. It belongs to the genus Mangifera of the Anacardiaceae family. This study aimed to analyze the genetic relationship of Mangifera casturi from South Kalimantan and Riau using microsatellite markers. Fourteen Mangifera casturi accessions were amplified using fourteen microsatellite loci, and the data produced was utilized to evaluate the genetic relationship. DNA amplification using the multiplex PCR method with fluorescence-labeled dyes on the forward primer will be detected using capillary electrophoresis. Forty-two alleles were obtained from the fourteen loci, averaging three per locus. The observed heterozygosity value (Ho) is 0.24, which is lower than the expected heterozygosity value (He), with an average of 0.48. The fourteen-microsatellite fixation index (FIS) loci ranged between –0.876 and 1. The average Polymorphic information content (PIC) value is 0.39, with the highest found in MC58089 loci (0.65), indicating the SSR marker loci are informative for revealing genetic diversity. The phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining method was constructed into four groups. Kasturi mango from Riau is closely related to Pelipisan and Cuban cultivars from South Kalimantan.

Genome Assembly and Microsatellite Marker Development Using Illumina and PacBio Sequencing in the Carex pumila (Cyperaceae) from Korea.

This study is the first to report the characterization of Carex pumila genomic information. Assembly of the genome generated a draft of C. pumila based on PacBio Sequel II and Illumina paired-end sequencing, which was assembled from 2941 contigs with an estimated genome size of 0.346 Gb. The estimate of repeats in the genome was 31.0%, and heterozygosity ranged from 0.426 to 0.441%. The integrity evaluation of the assembly revealed 1481 complete benchmarked universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO) (91.76%), indicating the high quality of the draft assembly. A total of 23,402 protein-coding genes were successfully predicted and annotated in the protein database. UpsetR plots showed that 7481 orthogroups were shared by all species. The phylogenetic tree showed that C. pumila is a close but distant relative of Ananas comosus. C. pumila had greater contraction (3154) than expansion (392). Among the extended gene families, aquaporins have been found to be enriched. Primers for microsatellite markers determined 30 polymorphic markers out of 100. The average number of alleles amplified by these 30 polymorphic markers was 4 to 12, with an average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.660. In conclusion, our study provides a useful resource for comparative genomics, phylogeny, and future population studies of C. pumila.

Genetic diversity and population structure of some Nigerian and four African countries' sorghum landraces [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] using Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) SNP markers

A genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach was used in this study to assess the genetic variability and population structure of fifty sorghum landrace accessions collected from the major sorghum growing areas in Nigeria and four other African countries. There were 7078 SNP markers found in the sorghum genome that were widely distributed. An average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.26 was observed for the SNP markers. Gene diversity (He) was substantial among the selected accessions (0.30). Nigeria's northeast accessions showed the highest gene diversity (0.32). Although molecular variation varied by only 2% among populations and by 98% within populations, principal coordinate analysis and cluster analysis revealed three major groups unrelated to geographical origin. This is an indication of high gene flow among populations (Nm = 7.71). However, due to the considerable similarity within populations, many accessions from similar states tend to cluster together. The population structure analysis at K=3 revealed three subpopulations, with 42% of the accessions evaluated being admixed together. A high number of private alleles (162) were identified in accession samples. This shows the potential for beneficial traits in sorghum breeding.

Construction and evaluation of a novel set of 90 microhaplotypes for forensic applications using NGS technology

Microhaplotypes (MHs), small sets of linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are becoming a valuable tool for paternity testing, personal identification and other different forensic purposes due to their advantages of both short tandem repeats (STRs) and SNPs. However, only a small part of MHs with small segments have been developed and reported so far. And the current population genetic data of MHs are still insufficient. MHs with small segments possess unique advantages in mixture deconvolution, degradation material identification, noninvasive prenatal paternity testing and even medical tumor diagnostic applications. In the present study, a set of 90 autosomal MHs whose PCR amplicon lengths are from 90–150 bp, of which 58 MHs are less than or equal to 100 bp are selected, and assembled into an amplification multiplex system optimized for Ion S5™ System for forensic application. Genetic diversity study of 90 MHs in the populations from different intercontinental regions shows that the polymorphism information content (PIC) values of 83 MHs are greater than 0.4 in populations from East Asia (EAS), and the average PIC value of 90 MHs is greater than 0.5. A total of EAS populations shows the highest cumulative match probability (CMP) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) values in five intercontinental populations. The CMP and CPE values of 90 MHs in EAS are 1.1688 × 10−54 and 0.999999999998954. The informativeness for assignment (In) values of the 90 MHs are calculated based on data from five intercontinental populations, and the In values of 20 MHs have greater than 0.1, indicating that the 20 MHs are high effectiveness in distinguishing different intercontinental populations, which can be used as candidate ancestry informative markers. Further, we have studied the polymorphisms of the 90 MHs based on 224 unrelated individuals of Henan Han population, China, and obtained the frequency data of the 90 MHs. In the Henan Han population, the effective number of alleles (Ae) of the 90 MHs ranges from 1.7649 (MH45) to 3.9792 (MH50), and the Ae values of 10 MHs reach to 3.0; the Ae values of 80 MHs are greater than 2, and the average Ae value for these MHs is 2.422. The average expected heterozygosity, observed heterozygosity, PIC, matching probability, discrimination power and probability of exclusion values of 90 MHs in the Henan Han population are 0.5788, 0.5851, 0.5039, 0.2608, 0.7392 and 0.2806, respectively. The CMP value of 90 MHs in the study population is less than 10−54, and their CPE value reaches 0.999999999999999923. Moreover, the results of the depth of coverage, allele coverage ratio and noise level indicate that the 90 MH amplification system has well sequencing performance, and the sequencing results are reliable. The results indicate the 90 MHs show higher polymorphisms in the study population. The present panel can be well used in paternity testing and individual identification in the study population and even the populations from EAS.

Population structure and genetic diversity of Tamarix chinensis as revealed with microsatellite markers in two estuarine flats.

Tamarix chinensis Lour. is a 3-6-meter-tall small tree with high salt- and alkali- tolerance and aggressive invasiveness, mainly distributed in the eastern part of China in warm-temperate and subtropical climate zones, yet there is little information available regarding genetic diversity and population structure. A total of 204 individuals of nine T. chinensis populations were investigated for genetic diversity and population structure using a set of 12 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers. The total number of alleles detected was 162, the average number of effective allele was 4.607, the average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of the 12 loci was 0.685, and the mean observed heterozygosity (Ho) and the mean expected heterozygosity (He) was 0.653 and 0.711, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed a 5.32% genetic variation among T. chinensis populations. Despite a low population differentiation, Bayesian clustering analysis, discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clearly identified three genetic clusters correlated to the populations' geographic origin: the northern populations including those from Yellow River Delta, the Fangshan (FS) population from Beijing, the Changyi (CY) population from Bohai Bay, the Huanjiabu (HHJ) population from Hangzhou Bay, and the remaining two populations from Hangzhou Bay. There was a significant relationship between the genetic distance and geographical distance of the paired populations. Gene flow (Nm) was 4.254 estimated from FST. T. chinensis possessed high genetic diversity comparable to tree species, and although the population differentiation is shallow, our results classified the sampled populations according to sampling localities, suggesting the different origins of the study populations.

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis in cultivated soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) using SSR and EST-SSR markers.

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important legume that is used to fulfill the need of protein and oil of large number of population across the world. There are large numbers of soybean germplasm present in the USDA germplasm resources. Finding and understanding genetically diverse germplasm is a top priority for crop improvement programs. The current study used 20 functional EST-SSR and 80 SSR markers to characterize 96 soybean accessions from diverse geographic backgrounds. Ninety-six of the 100 markers were polymorphic, with 262 alleles (average 2.79 per locus). The molecular markers had an average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 0.44, with 28 markers ≥ 0.50. The average major allele frequency was 0.57. The observed heterozygosity of the population ranged from 0-0.184 (average 0.02), while the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.20-0.73 (average 0.51). The lower value for observed heterozygosity than expected heterozygosity suggests the likelihood of a population structure among the germplasm. The phylogenetic analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) divided the total population into two major groups (G1 and G2), with G1 comprising most of the USA lines and the Australian and Brazilian lines. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis and PCoA divided the USA lines into three major clusters without any specific differentiation, supported by the model-based STRUCTURE analysis. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed 94% variation among individuals in the total population, with 2% among the populations. For the USA lines, 93% of the variation occurred among individuals, with only 2% among lines from different US states. Pairwise population distance indicated more similarity between the lines from continental America and Australia (189.371) than Asia (199.518). Overall, the 96 soybean lines had a high degree of genetic diversity.

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea var. rugosa) Employing SSR Molecular Markers

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea var. rugosa) constitutes an authoritative group of mustard crops in India. Evaluation of genetic diversity is a vivacious component of mustard breeding programmes for efficient utilization of plant genetic resources. In present study, 77 microsatellite markers were employed to assess the genetic diversity of 75 Indian mustard genotypes. Results revealed positive amplification for all SSRs, with 21 SSRs exhibiting polymorphic amplicons. A total of 99 alleles, ranging from 3 to 5 with an average of 4.71 alleles per SSR marker were obtained. The major allele frequency varied between 0.26 (cnu/m616) and 0.56 (ENA28F) with an average value of 0.36. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) value was 0.67 and ranged between 0.43 (ENA28F) and 0.76 (gi258660710gbGT071338.1). Mean value of 0.72 was detected for each pair of SSR primers, with the gene diversity per locus ranging between 0.53 (ENA28F) and 0.79 (gi258660710gbGT071338.1). The dendrogram grouped the 75 genotypes into three main clusters or subpopulations based on Unweighted Neighbour-Joining technique. The study revealed better understanding of the genetic diversity among different Indian mustard genotypes using genomic-SSR markers that could be exploited for the genetic improvement of the crop.

Morphological and molecular characterization of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions obtained from different locations in Turkey

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the most significant industrial crops due to its oil and fiber, which have a plethora of uses. Because of this, the characterization and introduction/adaptation of flax crops are of great interest. For this reason, we aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and patterns of flax cultivars/genotypes (a 63-cultivar/genotype was used) employing single sequence repeat microsatellite markers via 16 strong amplicon loci, and by estimating their morphological attributes. We determined the quality of the flax, in terms of oil content and composition, and its fiber quality using scanning electron microscopy and strength-linked attributes. For assessment, a series of statistical analyses were carried out in order to cluster and scatter the relevant parameters corresponding to the cultivars/genotypes. Of the assayed flax cultivar/genotypes, Eckendorfi was found to have promising agromorphological values. The average polymorphic information content values were recorded (= 0.689), and the smallest and largest loci with allele dimensions were Lu9(2) and Lu19-Lua613(6) respectively. Overall, the agromorphological attributes were consistent with the microsatellite-based markers in decoding the genetic diversity and population structure of the flax germplasm.

Exploring genetic diversity and population structure of a large grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) germplasm collection in Türkiye.

Grapevine (Vitis Vinifera L.) has been one of the significant perennial crops in widespread temperate climate regions since its domestication around 6000 years ago. Grapevine and its products, particularly wine, table grapes, and raisins, have significant economic importance not only in grapevine-growing countries but also worldwide. Grapevine cultivation in Türkiye dates back to ancient times, and Anatolia is considered one of the main grapevine migration routes around the Mediterranean basin. Turkish germplasm collection, conserved at the Turkish Viticulture Research Institutes, includes cultivars and wild relatives mainly collected in Türkiye, breeding lines, rootstock varieties, and mutants, but also cultivars of international origin. Genotyping with high-throughput markers enables the investigation of genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium, which are crucial for applying genomic-assisted breeding. Here, we present the results of a high-throughput genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) study of 341 genotypes from grapevine germplasm collection at Manisa Viticulture Research Institute. A total of 272,962 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers on the nineteen chromosomes were identified using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technology. The high-density coverage of SNPs resulted in an average of 14,366 markers per chromosome, an average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.23 and an expected heterozygosity (He) value of 0.28 indicating the genetic diversity within 341 genotypes. LD decayed very fast when r2 was between 0.45 and 0.2 and became flat when r2 was 0.05. The average LD decay for the entire genome was 30 kb when r2=0.2. The PCA and structure analysis did not distinguish the grapevine genotypes based on different origins, highlighting the occurrence of gene flow and a high amount of admixture. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) results indicated a high level of genetic differentiation within populations, while variation among populations was extremely low. This study provides comprehensive information on the genetic diversity and population structure of Turkish grapevine genotypes.

Genome-Wide Development of Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers and Genetic Diversity Analysis for the Halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica (Amaranthaceae).

Suaeda aralocaspica, which is an annual halophyte, grows in saline deserts in Central Asia with potential use in saline soil reclamation and salt tolerance breeding. Studying its genetic diversity is critical for effective conservation and breeding programs. In this study, we aimed to develop a set of polymorphic microsatellite markers to analyze the genetic diversity of S. aralocaspica. We identified 177,805 SSRs from the S. aralocaspica genome, with an average length of 19.49 bp, which were present at a density of 393.37 SSR/Mb. Trinucleotide repeats dominated (75.74%) different types of motifs, and the main motif was CAA/TTG (44.25%). We successfully developed 38 SSR markers that exhibited substantial polymorphism, displaying an average of 6.18 alleles with accompanying average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.516. The markers were used to evaluate the genetic diversity of 52 individuals collected from three populations of S. aralocaspica in Xinjiang, China. The results showed that the genetic diversity was moderate to high, with a mean expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.614, a mean Shannon's information index (I) of 1.23, and a mean genetic differentiation index (Fst) of 0.263. The SSR markers developed in this study provide a valuable resource for future genetic studies and breeding programs of S. aralocaspica, and even other species in Suaeda.

Development of Chloroplast Microsatellite Markers and Evaluation of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Cutleaf Groundcherry (Physalis angulata L.) in China.

Cutleaf groundcherry (Physalis angulata L.), an annual plant containing a variety of active ingredients, has great medicinal value. However, studies on the genetic diversity and population structure of P. angulata are limited. In this study, we developed chloroplast microsatellite (cpSSR) markers and applied them to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure of P. angulata. A total of 57 cpSSRs were identified from the chloroplast genome of P. angulata. Among all cpSSR loci, mononucleotide markers were the most abundant (68.24%), followed by tetranucleotide (12.28%), dinucleotide (10.53%), and trinucleotide (8.77%) markers. In total, 30 newly developed cpSSR markers with rich polymorphism and good stability were selected for further genetic diversity and population structure analyses. These cpSSRs amplified a total of 156 alleles, 132 (84.62%) of which were polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic alleles and the average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of the cpSSRs were 81.29% and 0.830, respectively. Population genetic diversity analysis indicated that the average observed number of alleles (Na), number of effective alleles (He), Nei's gene diversity (h), and Shannon information indices (I) of 16 P. angulata populations were 1.3161, 1.1754, 0.1023, and 0.1538, respectively. Moreover, unweighted group arithmetic mean, neighbor-joining, principal coordinate, and STRUCTURE analyses indicated that 203 P. angulata individuals from 16 populations were grouped into four clusters. A molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) illustrated the considerable genetic variation among populations, while the gene flow (Nm) value (0.2324) indicated a low level of gene flow among populations. Our study not only provided a batch of efficient genetic markers for research on P. angulata but also laid an important foundation for the protection and genetic breeding of P. angulata resources.