Estimates of genetic diversity can be based on different types of data. The aim of this research were to study genetic diversity among Croatian wheat cultivars by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, morphological traits and pedigree records; to analyse differences between wheat cultivars from two breeding centres; and to evaluate usability of RAPD markers for estimation of genetic diversity among wheat cultivars in comparison with morphological traits and pedigree record data. Studies were conducted on 14 wheat cultivars and breeding lines from two breeding centres in Croatia. For the RAPD analysis 36 primers were screened and the 14 most polymorphic ones yielded 341 polymorphic bands. Twelve morphological traits were used for morphological analysis. Pedigrees were composed of seven generations of ancestors. RAPD markers showed a high level of polymorphism among the cultivars examined and the breeding lines. No significant correlations were observed among the methods tested.
Comparing results of different genetic diversity estimates can be useful in parental selection for plant breeders. Forty winter wheat cultivars, from three Croatian breeding centres and four foreign countries, were used to utilize and compare agronomic, morphologic and molecular based genetic diversity estimates. Ten morphologic descriptors according to UPOV guidelines and eight agronomic traits were used to establish phenotypic data. Molecular data consisted of 26 SSR and four combinations of AFLP markers, covering all three wheat genomes. Agromorphologic data showed variability especially regarding plant height (CV=18.44%), yield (CV=22.02%), and ear emergence (range=8). Discriminant analysis confirmed grouping among cultivars was mostly influenced by number of days to heading and yield. The four AFLP primer combinations and 26 SSR markers yielded 108 polymorphic bands. The UPGMA based on phenotypic data, arranged cultivars in four clusters, with one distinctive outlier, cultivar U1. The UPGMA based on molecular data also arranged cultivars in four clusters, with one distinctive outlier, cultivar Antonius. The similarities based on all four genetic diversity estimates reflected, on average, the degree of relatedness of cultivars used. No correlations between phenotypic and molecular data were found implying that both types of data should be used for genetic diversity estimates in order to cover wider variability between tested cultivars.
Investigations of the influence of hermetic cereal seed storage on germination were carried out in the laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek (Croatia) over 5 years . Seeds of four species (winter wheat, winter barley, spring oat, and maize) were stored in hermetic glass containers at an air temperature of 20°C and a relative humidity of 65 %. The moisture level in stored seeds was 13 %. After 5 years, statistically highly significant associations 2 (P < 0.01) were found between storage longevity (five researched years) and seed germination of the four cereals. Germination of all investigated cereals was high (between 97.25 % for maize and 93 % for winter wheat) after harvest. The germination level decreased for all cereals, on average by 3 38 %, over the 5 years of storage. The highest germination values were found for wheat seeds (84.75 %) and the lowest germination values for maize seeds (36.0 %). The results showed that germination of all investigated cereals seeds was negatively correlated with storage longevity. The differences in germination found amongst the cereals were statistically highly significant (P < 0.01).
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