Exploring genetic diversity and population structure of Turkish Dactylis glomerata L. germplasm using Start Codon...

Area of Science:

• Agronomy
• Plant Genetics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Dactylis glomerata L. (Orchard grass) is a vital forage crop for livestock due to its nutritional value.
• Assessing genetic diversity is crucial for improving crop adaptability and productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure of 180 orchard grass accessions.
• To identify genetically distinct genotypes for breeding programs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 12 highly polymorphic Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) primers.
• Analyzed genetic variation using STRUCTURE, Neighbor-Joining tree, and Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA).

Main Results:

• Generated 244 polymorphic bands with an average polymorphism rate of 85.47%.
• Identified significant genetic diversity with mean PIC value of 0.70.
• Classified germplasm into two populations and identified Yozgat1 and Çanakkale3 as the most genetically divergent genotypes.

Conclusions:

• The study identified substantial genetic variability within the orchard grass germplasm.
• Distinct accessions and genetically distant genotypes (Yozgat1, Çanakkale3) offer valuable genomic resources.
• Findings support breeding programs focused on enhancing orchard grass adaptability and productivity.