Genetic diversity and yield trait associations in soybean germplasm using SSR markers

Area of Science:

• Plant genetics
• Agricultural science
• Molecular breeding

Background:

• Soybean (Glycine max) breeding aims for high-yield, high-quality varieties.
• Limited studies exist on genetic diversity and marker-trait associations for yield traits using SSR markers across environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate genetic diversity and marker-trait associations (MTAs) for yield-related traits in soybean accessions.
• To identify SSR markers linked to key agronomic and yield traits across diverse environmental conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 20 SSR primer pairs on 150 soybean accessions grown in two environments.
• Analyzed genetic diversity using agronomic traits and SSR markers, including cluster analysis, PCoA, and population structure.
• Performed association analysis using generalized linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM).

Main Results:

• Substantial phenotypic variation observed for 12 agronomic traits.
• SSR analysis revealed high polymorphism (96%) and significant genetic diversity metrics (Ne, H, I, PIC).
• Identified 44 significant MTAs, with 13 markers associated with multiple traits; six SSR markers were consistently detected across environments.

Conclusions:

• SSR markers effectively revealed substantial genetic diversity in the soybean germplasm.
• Identified significant marker-trait associations, providing a foundation for marker-assisted selection in soybean breeding.
• The findings support germplasm utilization and accelerate molecular breeding for improved soybean varieties.