Characterization of Genetic Diversity in Cultivated Emmer Wheat [Triticum turgidum L. ssp. dicoccon (Schrank) Thell.] Landrace Populations from Turkey by SSR

The aim of this study is an evaluation of the genetic diversity among nine emmer wheat [Triticum turgidum L. ssp. dicoccon (Schrank) Thell.] landrace populations, grown in Turkey by using simple sequence repeats (SSR) technique. Nine SSR primers produced 497 alleles, which ranged between 57 and 376 bp and they were 100% polymorphic. The mean number of allele per locus (na), the mean number of the effective allele (nea), the mean value of average genetic diversity (He_avg.), and the mean value of genetic diversity (He) were determined as 40.89, 13, 0.76, and 0.90 respectively. The genetic differentiation and the gene flow between populations calculated as 0.15 and 1.41 respectively. The A genome showed significantly higher estimates for He_avg. and na than the B genome according to Mann–Whitney U test analysis. Turkish emmer wheat landraces populations displayed considerably high genetic diversity. The SSR marker system determined efficiently the genetic diversity among the emmer wheat populations and it was successful to differentiate the landrace populations from each other. In situ and on-farm conservation strategies should be planned urgently in addition to the ex situ conservation programs for emmer wheat landraces as invaluable genetic resources.