RAPD analysis of genetic variation among some winter barley cultivars

Genetic improvement of any crop species depends upon the existence, nature and extent of the genetic variability available for manipulation. Genetic analysis with RAPD markers has been extensively used to determine genetic diversity among barley varieties and to identify the best quality for malting, feeding, or human consumption. The objectives of the present study were to assess molecular variation among different Romanian and foreign winter barley cultivars, and to determine the level of genetic similarity among them. The results demonstrated that RAPD analyses are useful for evaluation of genetic diversity between different winter barley cultivars, considering the fact that the average polymorphic rate was 88.23 % and 10 polymorphic bands/primer. Based on the RAPD analysis using the three primers, we see that there is a high genetic variability between studied cultivars of winter barley, which can be exploited effectively in the improvement programs for this species. The use of cultivars from various clusters and sub clusters offer the possibility of obtaining an appropriate genetic variability in hybrid populations. The band of 150 bp, amplified by the primer S39, which was found only in cultivars with high protein content, can be used for quick identification of high or low protein content cultivars.