Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR)-based diversity assessment among faba bean genotypes

Thirty-four faba bean (Vicia faba L.) including local and exotic materials were subjected to molecular diversity assessment using 12 inter-simple sequence repeat primers. The molecular data showed unambiguous and qualitative (present or absent) fragments that gave repeatable patterns were considered for the analysis. The 12 selected primers produced a total of 71 fragments (loci), all of which were polymorphic using the 34 collected faba genotypes. The results of clustering Nei’s genetic distance using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average algorithm at the 0.52 dissimilarity separated genotypes to six main clusters with many subclusters. The local genotypes were distributed to most of all clusters. Genotypes collected from Egypt and King Saud University was grouped together in two clusters, ICARDA’s genotypes in two clusters and two genotypes (H8, local determent genotype and 987–255–95 line) formed a single cluster. The high number of subclusters formed in this study indicated that there is a high genetic variability related to collection sites and it should be utilised in faba bean improvement.