Population Structure and Diversity of Southeast Asian Rice Varieties

Abstract

This study assessed the structure and genetic diversity of rice populations of Southeast Asian varieties, based on quantitative morphological and molecular traits. Population structure analysis revealed four distinct populations as ancestral origin of the varieties in the collection. Some traditional varieties from different countries share the same ancestry, while on the other hand, admixture was observed in the ancestry of some varieties. High diversity in quantitative morphological traits was confirmed in the rice collection. Spikelet fertility and plant height contributed significantly to the diversity.