The Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding

Genetic diversity of forty-six common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) accessions of diverse geographical origin was studied using RAPD markers. Four out of the twenty primers screened showed polymorphism across present set of genotypes. A total of 43 DNA amplicons were scored using these 4 primers. Seventy-seven per cent of the amplification products showed polymorphism, indicating fair amount of variation at the DNA level among these accessions. The genotypes shared 59% genetic similarity among themselves. Cluster analysis delineated the genotypes into four groups. Twenty accessions from United States clustered in two separate groups, which possibly correspond to two well established phaseolus gene pools. Some of the accessions showed promise against the widely prevalent races of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. Morphological variation for seed colour, shape and size showed no correspondence with molecular diversity.