Germination characteristics and molecular characterizations of some wheat varieties in Sulaimanyah by SSR marker

The genetic diversity of 11 bread and durum wheat varieties was estimated using germination characteristic and molecular analysis. The phenotypic data showed highly significant differences between cultivars for germination speed, germination percentage, seedling length, fresh weight, and dry weight. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were used to examine the genomic diversity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and Triticum durum L.). Eleven wheat varieties of diverse origins were analyzed with 12 selected SSRs to provide uniform and maximum genome coverage. A total of 18 bread wheat and 20 durum wheat polymorphic allelic variants were detected, ranging from 1 to 4 per locus with an average of 1.5 and 1.7, respectively. Genetic similarities calculated from SSR data ranged from 0.286 to 1 for bread wheat and 0.333 to 0.818 for durum wheat. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis based on genetic distance estimates produced 2 loose groupings that were generally consistent with available pedigree information. Cham 6 and Cham 4 were closely related. Their genetic relationship was confirmed by the facts that they share a common ancestor and that they were clustered together. A wide range of genomic diversity was observed among all the genotypes, indicating them as prime candidates for selective breeding for specific traits and broadening the genetic base.