Genetic profiling of sugarcane genotypes using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers

Study of genetic diversity is an important factor in sugarcane breeding programs to identify genetically diverse parents for developing hybrid cultivars with improved cane and sugar yield. Genetic profiling studies of 17 sugarcane genotypes were carried out by using 27 ISSR markers having di, tri and tetra nucleotide repeat motifs. Out of the 252 amplicons amplified by 27 ISSR primers, 212 were polymorphic (84.13%) with an average of 9.3 alleles per locus. The polymorphic information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.19 (UBC 808, 843) to 0.36 (UBC876) primers with poly ‘AG’, ‘CT’ motifs and poly ‘(GATA) (GACA)’ motifs respectively with an average of 0.27. The primer UBC 825 had a highest resolving power value 9.8 among the 27 primers. Genetic similarity indices by Jaccard's similarity coefficient ranged from 0.26 to 0.72 indicating a high level of genetic diversity and significant correlation found with biometrical data of sugarcane genotype. Cluster analysis by UPGMA method revealed similarity coefficient of 0.49 which was mainly attributed to inter specific diversity. Thus, ISSR markers can be used as a potential marker system for genetic profiling of sugarcane genotypes.