Identification and evaluation of high oil content in wild Arachis species

Wild Arachis species are important resource for genetic improvement of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). In present study,oil content in 87 wild Arachis accessions were tested. There are many genotypes with oil content in wild Arachis accessions. The minimum,maximum and average oil contents in wild Arachis genotypes were higher than the corresponding contents in cultivated resource. 12 accessions with high oil content (more than 58%) were identified. A.appressipila with oil content of 62.90% was the highest oil content genotype in peanut resource including cultivated peanuts and wild relative species up to now. Considerable variation in oil content was observed among invloved Arachis species.The average oil contents of A.appressipila,A.macedoi and A.sp were 57.54%,57.64% and 57.68% respectively,which were high. The relationship and genetic diversity of 12 Arachis accessions with high oil content and several cultivated peanuts were investigated based on SSR markers. The tetraploid species A.monticola was most closely related to the cultivated peanut A.hypogaea. The diploid species A.villosa of section Arachis were also closely related to the cultivated peanut. The DNA fingerprints of 12 accessions with high oil content were constructed based on SSR markers.