Genetic diversity between stem rot resistant and susceptible groundnut genotypes using PCR-RAPD

Genetic diversity is a basis for all crop improvement programmes across the world. A study was undertaken to explore the genetic diversity present among different groups of groundnut and as a part of it, six groundnut genotypes which varied in their levels of resistance to stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. were studied for their genetic diversity. PCR based Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs primers were utilized for ascertaining the genetic diversity. Genotypes, GG-20 and GG-16 were genotypically distant from remaining four genotypes. Groundnut cultivars, TG-37A, ICGV-86590 were closely related to resistant genotypes, NRCGCS-19 and NRCGCS-319. An overall polymorphism of 91.2% was observed with forty primers where, twenty primers produced 100% polymorphism. The polymorphic bands were distinct as size ranged from 200 to 1000 bp and the Jaccard’s similarity matrix and dendrogram indicated clustering of NRCGCS-19 and NRCGCS-319 with 93% similarity. Hence, PCR-RAPDs may be utilized to cut down the time required for phenotyping of groundnut genotypes against S. rolfsii.