Author/Authors :
TURYAGYENDA, L.F. Makerere University - College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Uganda , TURYAGYENDA, L.F. National Agriculture research Organisation (NARO), Uganda , KIZITO, E.B. National Agriculture research Organisation (NARO), Uganda , KIZITO, E.B. Uganda Christian University - Department of Agricultural Sciences, Uganda , FERGUSON, M.E. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Hub - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kenya , BAGUMA, Y. National Agriculture research Organisation (NARO), Uganda , HARVEY, J.W. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Hub - Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA), Kenya , GIBSON, P. Makerere University - College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Uganda , GIBSON, P. Illinois University - Department of Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems, USA , WANJALA, B.W. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Hub - Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA), Kenya , OSIRU, D.S.O. Makerere University - College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Uganda
Abstract :
Understanding of genetic diversity among a breeding population is an important requirement for crop improvement as it allows for the selection of diverse parental combinations and formation of heterotic pools for genetic gain. This study was carried out to determine genetic diversity within and among 51 farmer-preferred cassava (Manihot esculenta) landraces and 15 elite accessions grown in Uganda. Twenty six simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers used for genetic diversity assessment in this study revealed a total of 154 alleles, of which 24% were unique alleles present only in landraces. The genetic diversity and observed herozygosity in landraces were slightly higher than in elite accessions. Elite accessions clustered with some of the landraces indicating that there were some alleles in common. However, 58.8% of the landraces fell into 3 different clusters independent of the elite accessions. Including these landraces with unique alleles in cassava breeding schemes will increase the chances of producing farmer preferred adapted elite cultivars. The study also revealed genetic differentiation among accessions from different regions providing an opportunity for establishment of heterotic pools within a breeding programme.
