SSR-based DNA fingerprinting of 18 elite Indian varieties of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

To assess the genetic diversity and relationship between varieties eighteen elite Indian sesame varieties were analysed using thirty sesame-specific SSR markers. A total of 134 alleles with an average number of 4.5 alleles were observed with PIC value ranging from 0.39 (CUESTSSR563) to 0.87 (CUSSR29). The dendrogram was constructed using the software NTSYS Pc (Ver. 2.20). The varieties were grouped into 5 clusters. The dissimilarity coefficients between sesame varieties based on molecular data ranged from 0.466 to 0.967. GT 10 and RT 351 showed highest distance value i.e. 0.967 and the lowest distance value was estimated between the genotypes Prachi and Nirmala. The study revealed that geographic origin is not related to genetic diversity as genotypes belonging to different geographical origin grouped in the same cluster. DNA profile of varieties exhibited good polymorphism which helps to distinctly identify and characterize sesame varieties.