Open Access

RAPD Based Genetic Diversity in Glycine max L.

1 Sivas University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Department of Field Crops, Sivas
2 Sivas University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Department of Field Crops, Sivas

Abstract

This study aims to determine the genetic diversity levels of a total of 18 soybean genotypes consisting of 15 soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) lines obtained as a result of hybridizations carried out in accordance with breeding objectives within the scope of soybean breeding studies conducted at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, and 3 commercial cultivars (SA-88, Ataem-7, Traksoy), using RAPD markers. In the study, a total of 35 DNA bands were obtained using three different RAPD primers (OPA-5, OPA-7, and OPA-20), and 17 of these bands were identified as polymorphic. This corresponds to a polymorphism rate of 48.5%, indicating that there is a significant level of variation in the genetic structure of the material. The UPGMA dendrogram constructed based on the Jaccard similarity coefficient grouped the genotypes into two main clusters and showed that certain genotypes (S-3, S-4, S-13, S-15, and S-16) were genetically differentiated from the others. The highest genetic similarity value was detected between genotypes S-2 and S-5 (0.933), while the lowest similarity value was observed between genotypes S-16 and S-17 (0.723). These findings indicate that genetically close genotypes can be utilized in studies aimed at developing stable lines and maintaining genetic purity, whereas genetically distant individuals can be used in the formation of heterotic hybrid combinations. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) enabled the evaluation of genetic relationships in a multidimensional plane and exhibited a high level of consistency with the UPGMA results. The wide distribution of genotypes across the PCA plane indicates that the studied material possesses rich genetic diversity and reveals the presence of subpopulation structures. Consequently, RAPD markers have been shown to be an effective tool for determining genetic diversity in soybean due to their low cost, reproducibility, and the fact that they do not require prior genomic information. The molecular data obtained from this study are considered to provide a scientific basis for parent selection, management of genetic resources, the establishment of core collections, and the development of advanced breeding strategies.

Keywords

How to Cite

ÇİLESİZ, Y., & KARAKÖY, T. (2026). RAPD Based Genetic Diversity in Glycine max L. MAS Journal of Applied Sciences, 11(1), 107–116. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19082537

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