Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Using SSR Markers in Tobacco

Genetic diversity analysis and population structure can estimate genetic variation of diverse materials, and can be used in germplasm management and varietal protection. In this study, the genetic diversity and population structure for tobacco germplasm (78 cultivated tobacco accessions in China) were analyzed by using 28 SSR markers. A total of 127 alleles were detected with an average of 4.5 per locus in 78 accessions, while PIC values ranged from 0.19 to 0.89 with an average of 0.63 per marker. Based on genetic similarity, most of sun-cured and flue-cured tobacco accessions were clustered into group A and group B, respectively. A model-based structure analysis for these accessions detected two subpopulations, which were generally coincident with the clustering analysis and showed the genetic similarities were relative high for these accessions. These results revealed narrow genetic diversity for the tobacco germplasm in China.