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International Journal of Botany

Year: 2006 | Volume: 2 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 29-35
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Authors

E. Chakauya

P. Tongoona

E.A. Matibiri

M. Grum

Keywords

Research Article

Genetic Diversity Assessment of Sorghum Landraces in Zimbabwe Using Microsatellites and Indigenous Local Names

E. Chakauya, P. Tongoona, E.A. Matibiri and M. Grum
Landraces of sorghum are grown throughout Zimbabwe and frequently given names describing important traits they possess or their origin. Little is known about the genetic diversity of this germplasm, the consistency of the relationship between names and genetic identity and thereby the usefulness of names in developing strategies for germplasm conservation and use. This study analysed the genetic diversity of 52 uncharacterised genotypes from two districts of Zimbabwe, Nyanga North and Tsholotsho using two methods; microsatellites and indigenous local names. Seven microsatellite primers were used, giving 19 polymorphic bands. Genetic similarities (simple matching coefficients) were calculated and dendrograms were used to compare relationships based on indigenous local names and the origin of collections. Microsatellite markers showed that even when local names were similar, the genotypes those names represented were rarely similar genetically. Although collections from six of the seven clusters were identified in both districts, those in Nyanga North had a Simpson index of 0.728, compared with 0.533 for those in Tsholotsho. Based on the markers used, seven of the 15 collections from Tsholotsho were judged to be duplicates of material also found in Nyanga North. Diversity was found to be fairly highly concentrated in the hands of a few individual farmers. The results of this study indicate that farmer-given names are neither the best guide to the presence of diversity nor a good unit of sampling.
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