In the present study, genetic diversity and population structure in the 80 Iranian Aegilops accessions were investigated using CBDP markers (CAAT-box derived polymorphism) markers. Twelve CBDP primers amplified a total of 94 fragments, which out all of them were polymorphic. The mean values of polymorphic information content (PIC), resolving power (Rp) and marker index (MI) indicated that the used primers could exploited for further assessing relationships among investigated genotypes and population structure analysis. The results of molecular analysis of variance (AMOVA) showed that the genetic variation between populations is more than variation within them. Based on genetic variation parameters, the highest number of observed alleles (Na), number of effective alleles (Ne), gene diversity (He), Shannon’s information index (I) and percentage of polymorphic loci (PPL) were found in Ae. triuncialis species. Cluster analysis and population structure grouped all investigated genotypes into three main clusters, so that the grouping patterns were consistence with their genomic constitutions. In conclusion, our results revealed the high rate of genetic diversity in Iranian Aegilops accessions. Due to high adaptation of wild relatives to their habitats, hence they can be used as a valuable gene source for wheat breeding programs.

Keywords: Wild wheat, molecular markers, allelic diversity, population structure

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