| Abstract: | Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies oninformation related to genetic diversity. Therefore, molecular characterization of germplasms is important to obtain targetcultivars with desirable traits. Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is widely considered the world’s most important crop,with great diversity in morphological and phenotypic traits. The genetic diversity of 20 sweet potato germplasms originatingfrom Bangladesh, CIP, Philippines, Taiwan, and Malaysia were compared, which was accomplished by genetic diversityanalysis by exploring 20 microsatellite DNA markers for germplasm characterization and utilization. This information waseffective in differentiating or clustering the sweet potato genotypes. A total of 64 alleles were generated using the 20 primersthroughout the 20 germplasm samples, with locus IBS97 having the highest number of alleles (5), whereas locus IbU33 hadthe fewest alleles (2). The alleles varied in size from 105 (IbU31) to 213 base pairs (IBS34). The Polymorphism InformationContent (PIC) values for the loci IbL46 and IBS97 varied from 0.445 to 0.730. IBS97 has the highest number of effectivealleles (3.704), compared to an average of 2.520. The average Shannon’s diversity index (H) was 1.003, ranging from 0.673 inIbU3 to 1.432 in IBS97. The value of gene flow (Nm) varied between 0.000 and 0.005, with an average of 0.003, whereasgenetic differentiation (FST-values) ranged between 0.901 and 1.000. The sweet potato germplasm included in this study hada broad genetic base. SP1 vs. SP9 and SP12 vs. SP18 germplasm pairings had the greatest genetic distance (GD = 0.965),while SP1 vs. SP2 germplasm couples had the least genetic diversity (GD = 0.093). Twenty genotypes were classified into twogroups in the UPGMA dendrogram, with 16 genotypes classified as group “A” and the remaining four genotypes, SP10,SP18, SP19, and SP20, classified as group “B.” According to cluster analysis, the anticipated heterozygosity (gene diversity) ofNei (1973) was 0.591 on average. In summary, SSR markers successfully evaluated the genetic relationships among the sweetpotato accessions used and generated a high level of polymorphism. The results of the present study will be useful for themanagement of germplasm, improvement of the current breeding strategies, and the release of new cultivars as varieties. |
