Allozyme Variation Among Some Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) Cultivars Collected from Tunisia and West Africa

Abstract

Allozyme variation was assessed in a collection of pearl millet cultivars derived from three different regions of traditional cultivation of this cereal in Tunisia and West African countries. Using starch gel electrophoresis, 11 loci corresponding to seven enzyme staining systems were identified. Important within-cultivar genetic diversity was detected. Genetic diversity within Tunisian cultivars was similar and was more pronounced than for West African ones. This result could be explained by the low level of the human selection characterizing the Tunisian cultivars. Most of the total genetic diversity is maintained within subregions suggesting little genetic differentiation. Cluster analysis did not reveal separate clusters for the various subregion cultivars. However the cluster analysis should help in the selection of interesting genotypes for future breeding programs.