ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY AMONG HYBRID PEA LINES (PISUM SATIVUM L.) AS REVEALED BY RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA (RAPD) MARKERS

Information about genetic diversity among pea genotypes of Pakistan is limited. Molecular marker analysis is an important technique in analyzing the genetic diversity among pea providing useful information to broaden the genetic base of pea lines. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity among 24 hybrid pea lines using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. A total of 69 DNA fragments were generated by 20 RAPD markers, with an average of 3.45 cleanly detectable alleles per primer. Of these, 67 fragments (97.10%) were polymorphic among the total pea lines. Molecular weights of alleles ranging from 250 bp to 2000 bp. The minimum alleles (1) were amplified by the primer OPA 17. Whereas, maximum alleles (6) were amplified by primers OPA-13, OPA-19, OPA-20, OPB-11 and OPB-14 each. The average alleles/locus primer-1 was 3.45 and overall polymorphism was 97.10% that gave a promising indication to broaden the research horizon for investigation of genetic diversity in pea and only 2.9% bands showed monomorphic behaviour. The similarity indices based on all possible pairs of lines ranged from 0.43 to 0.92. The minimum similarity value of 0.43 was observed between PL-6 and PL-22 Similarity, closer to unity was observed between PL-11 and PL-15 (0.92). The results of the present investigation using RAPD markers have successfully revealed an informative DNA polymorphism among pea lines, which could be included into marker-assisted selection and breeding programs aspiring at genetic improvement of this nutritionally important crop species.