Genetic Diversity Analysis of Parents and F1 Hybrids Through Molecular Profiling in Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.)

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal crop in India next to rice and wheat. This belongs to family Poaceae.Zea mays is the only species in the genus Zea with chromosome number 2n=20. A total of 15 lines (5 inbred lines, i.e, QPM-2-18, QPM-3-7, QPM-7-4, QPM-8-5, QPM-10-1and 10 F1 crosses) were taken for genetic diversity analysis in the present study. The genetic diversity analysis was done by using single RAPD primer amplifying 123 reproducible bands ranging in size between 400bp to 2200bp. The primer OU-4 producing 123 bands out of which 77 bands (62.60%) were found polymorphic, 45 bands (37.4%) were monomorphic while 1 band (0.81%) was unique ie, in QPM 2–18 XQPM 3–7. The range of pairwise similarity coefficient for inbreds varies from 54 to 89%. Similarity matrix revealled that high degree of similarity (89%) exists between QPM2–18 and QPM8–5 followed by QPM2–18 to QPM7–4 and QPM3–7 to QPM7–4 (78%). While minimum similarity was obserbed between QPM3–7 to QPM 10-1 (54%). The study reveals that inbreds taken in the study are of diverse genetic background and useful in diversity analysis study with RAPD marker.