Genetic polymorphism of cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) landraces commonly grown by Ruvuma Region farmers using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers

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Date

2008

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Sokoine University of Agriculture

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the morphological and genetic relationships of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) landraces grown in Ruvuma Region in Tanzania. Thirty nine cassava landraces were collected from farmers’ fields in August, 2006. Purposive sampling was used to select study villages. The cluster analysis and similarity matrix was computed using morphological traits and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers based on Jaccard’s coefficient following the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) method using Sequential and Hierarchical Numeric option (SAHN) program of NTSY-pc. A set of 13 SSR primers out of 20 that were screened generated 75 (84.3%) polymorphic bands out of 89 amplified DNA bands. Morphological characterization, SSR allele diversity and association mapping were performed using 22 morphological characters and 13 selected SSR primers. The jaccard’s coefficient for morphological traits and SSR markers varied from 0.53-0.91 and 0.33-0.88, respectively. The result obtained showed that use of morphological traits and SSR markers readily distinguished the 39 cassava landraces at 0.91 and 0.88 similarity coefficients, respectively. The results, summarized on both dendrograms, showed narrow genetic diversity among the cassava landraces. Further, the dendrogram showed inter and intra-cluster variation among the landraces used providing scope for its improvement through hybridization and selection. In both methods used (i.e. morphological and SSR techniques) no cassava duplicate was identified, the most morphologically closely related cassava landraces were Sindani and Ndingtwaka with similarity coefficient of 0.91. Similarly the most genetically closely relatediii cassava landraces were Mama and Mahuhu that had jaccard coefficient similarity of 0.88. The result from the two methods used in study indicated that only four landraces (i.e. Pesangani, Chilabula, Mwaya and K.asindand') were found to be unrelated both morphologically and genetically. Such findings indicate that these four cassava landraces could be included in National Cassava Improvement Programs (NCIP) in Tanzania.

Description

Dissertation

Keywords

Genetic, Ruvuma region, Manihot esculenta Crantz, Cassava genetic polymorphism

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