A study of genetic diversity of colored barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using SSR markers

Colored barley is used for the development of barley-containing functional food because of the special nutrients present in its grains. Meanwhile, grain color, which is also one of the primary traits selected in crop domestication, can be used as an important indicator of crop evolution and domestication. In this study, 35 SSR marker pairs were used to analyze the genetic diversity of 277 germplasm accessions representing yellow, purple, blue, and black barley. The analysis revealed that rich genetic variation was mainly caused by the genetic diversity of individuals. Differently colored barley populations could be further divided into subpopulations. As per PCoA, AMOVA, and structure analysis, a complex evolutionary relationship existed among the four colored barley populations. This phenomenon may have been the result of long-term multidirectional selection by humans on the basis of barley use. Studies on colored barley provide useful data for future breeding and utilization of these materials.