Genetic Diversity of Alfalfa Grown in Northern Turkey by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA and Relationship with Morphological Traits

Abstract

In this research, genetic diversity among alfalfa ecotypes grown Northern part of Turkey by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers and morphological traits to analyze differences among alfalfa ecotypes were studied and usability of RAPD markers for estimation of genetic diversity among alfalfa ecotypes in comparison with morphological traits were evaluated. Seven RAPD markers generated polymorphic patterns, yielding a polymorphism rate of 70 %. The average genetic similarity among the alfalfa ecotypes/cultivars was 0.51 with values ranging from 0.343 between Ladak and Adiguzel and 0.88 between Kayseri and Mollakasir ecotypes, having the highest genetic similarity. It was followed by similarities between Arrow and L1312; Savas and Dilburnu; Savas and Çayirbasi; Kayseri and Alaköy genotypes with 0.80 similarity. In the principal component analysis (PCA), the first two principal components explained about 69 % of the variation in morphological traits. A Mantel's test showed low correlation between RAPD and morphological data distance matrices.