ESTIMATION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY AMONG LINUM USITATISSIMUM L. GERMPLASM THROUGH MOLECULAR MARKERS

The present study was undertaken to evaluate heritable diversity of 42 linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.,) germplasm, 30 from the Pakistan and 12 from the USA through molecular techniques. The research was performed at the National Institute of Genomics and Biotechnology (NIGAB), NARC Islamabad Pakistan. For this purpose, twenty molecular markers (13 ISSR and 7, SSR) has been chosen for the assessment of diversity amongst forty two linseed genotypes through DNA-PCR based technique. DNA extraction was carried out by using the CTAB method. Out of twenty molecular markers (13 ISSR and 7 SSR), sixteen markers were found to be reproducible while four markers (2 of ISSR and SSR each) were not reproducible. Molecular data was demonstrated by dendrograms generated through UPGMA method based on bivariate data matrix. Highly branched clusters based on genetic associations among genotypes were presented by ISSR markers as compared to SSR markers. The 100 to 400 bp fragments were amplified by the SSR markers profiling while 100-1100bp in ISSR profiling. The most significant and diverse genotypes found through SSR markers were 021750, 021570, 021245, 021425 and 021310 while only 1 most diverse genotype 021570 was found through ISSR markers. Hence the genotypes 020885, 020890 and 020870 are recommended for their further used in breeding programs while mapped markers should be used for gene sequencing of genotype 021570.