Genetic Diversity of Common Wild Wheat Species in Armenia Using ISSR Markers

Abstract

Armenia is one of the primary genealogical centers of numerous crops, the wild relatives of many of which are still found in Armenia today. Population limits of three out of 4 species of wild relatives of endemic wheat in Armenia (T. araraticum Jakubz, T. urartu Tumanian ex Gandilyan, T. boeoticum Boiss.) have been reduced in recent decades as a result of various ecological and economic functions, they are facing the danger of extinction and are registered in the Red Book of Plants of the Republic of Armenia. In order to identify these species as selection raw material, genetic characterization of populations was carried out according to ISSR-PCR markers, as well as decoding genetic formulas and barcodes. As a result, according to the coefficients of the genetic pattern, the studied wild types of wheat are characterized as basic or typical gene pools with the least quantity and frequency of rare alleles. The populations are stable and in conditions of efficient number of isolates, the gene pool is capable of self-reproduction. The obtained results as genetic markers will provide an opportunity to further clarify the origin of the species, evolution, patterns of inheritance of useful economic traits, cell genetic characteristics of the species, natural resistance to adverse environmental factors and diseases, etc.