Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of the genus Vicia (Vicia L.) using simple sequence repeat markers

The genetic diversity of the Vicia (Vicia L.) genus was analyzed using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A total of 201 sampled individuals from 12 Vicia were assayed to study the genetic diversity and polymorphisms using 12 simple sequence repeat markers; 115 alleles were identified. The average observed heterozygosity (Ho) and the average expected heterozygosity (He) were 0.4283 and 0.6941, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.8739 (V81) to 0.9579 (V97), with a mean of 0.9033, indicating that the markers were highly informative. Moreover, cluster and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) divided the 12 species into three main clusters. Structure analysis and PCoA of Vicia narbonensis and Vicia tibetica agreed well with the cluster analysis results, and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) results revealed that 89% genetic variation was observed within the population and 11% was among the population. These results clarify the genetic diversity and population structure of the Vicia, providing useful information for understanding genetic variability and establishing a foundation for future breeding programs and genetic improvement.