Consistency of upland and Lowland rice genotypes grouping by microsatellite markers and drought tolerance indices

One way to assessing the validity of recognized markers is studing the consistency of case grouping based on molecular markers and phenotypic data obtained from the normal and drought stress conditions. In this study in order to assessing probable relationship between SSR molecular markers and drought tolerance indices in studding genotypes and grouping these genotypes based on SSR molecular markers and tolerance indices, 40 rice genotypes was used based on randomized complete block design with three replications in both normal and stress conditions. In addition, 26 microsattelite markers in relation with drought tolerance were used. Our results showed that 128 polymorphic alleles with 4.92 mean allele for each marker locus were amplified. The highest PIC value related to RM5672 (0.829) and the least related to RM523 (0.047). The corelation analysis between yield and tolerance indices in both two conditions confirmed that four indices; mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress tolerance index (STI) and yield index (YI) were the best indices for sensitive and tolerant genotype discrimination. Grouping of genotypes based on cluster analysis using WARD method divided all of studding genotypes into three groups including tolerant, semi tolerant and sensitive. Considering the higher values of second group than the mean of the above indicators, they were introduced as tolerant genotypes, which often included upland genotypes and a Hashemi genotype. Based on our results thre firs group represent semi tolerant genotypes ant the third group represents sensitive genotypes. The cluster analysis based on microsatellite markers also divided genotypes into two groups. Comparison of these two types of grouping showed a significant correlation between them, so that in both groups the Hashemi genotype showed close proximity to the upland genotypes and was associated with them in one group.