Efficacy of SCoT and ISSR markers in assessment of genetic diversity in some Iranian pistachio (<i>Pistacia vera</i> L.) cultivars

Abstract

<em>Background: </em>Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers were used to appraise<br />genetic diversity existed in 20 samples of four Iranian pistachio (<em>Pistacia vera </em>L.) cultivars and relative efficiencies of the<br />marker systems were compared.<br /><em>Materials and Methods: </em>20 and 15 primers were used in SCoT and ISSR markers, respectively. Effective Multiplex Ratio<br />(EMR), Marker Index (MI), Resolving Power (RP) and Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) of the primers were assessed<br />for the two marker systems. Cluster analysis for molecular data was performed. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) was<br />done too.<br /><em>Results: </em>The most of the parameters examined were found to be more suitable in ISSR system. The most remarkable result<br />of the current research is that cluster analysis on SCoT and ISSR data clearly discriminated the cultivars in terms of their<br />genetic characterizations. There was a high similarity between dendrogram derived from ISSR marker and dendrogram<br />derived from both markers, in spite of some observed differences.<br /><em>Conclusions: </em>It is shown in the current research that there is remarkable genetic diversity among evaluated samples. SCoT<br />and ISSR analysis produces adequate polymorphisms for DNA fingerprinting. This research reports the first application of the<br />SCoT marker in characterization of Iranian pistachio cultivars.