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SSR Marker-Based Genetic Diversity Analysis of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) Genotypes for Germplasm Characterization and Parental Selection

Amit Adsul

Published 9/19/2026 · pp. 36–43

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Abstract

Assessment of genetic diversity is essential for the effective utilization of soybean germplasm in breeding programmes. The present study evaluated the genetic diversity among 32 soybean genotypes using 34 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. All markers successfully amplified the target loci, generating 82 amplicons, of which 42 were polymorphic, resulting in an overall polymorphism of 51.21%. The markers Satt-149, Satt-235, and Satt-640 exhibited 100% polymorphism and the highest polymorphism information content (PIC), demonstrating superior discriminatory ability among the genotypes. PIC values ranged from 0.18 to 0.74, with a mean of 0.46, indicating moderate to high marker informativeness. Genetic similarity estimated using Jaccard's coefficient ranged from 0.33 to 0.87. The lowest similarity was observed between JS-335 and IVT-22, identifying them as the most genetically divergent genotypes, whereas IVT-25 and IVT-37 showed the highest similarity. UPGMA cluster analysis grouped the 32 genotypes into two major clusters, reflecting their genetic relationships and breeding history. The moderate level of genetic diversity detected among the soybean genotypes demonstrates the effectiveness of SSR markers for germplasm characterization and parental selection. The genetically divergent genotypes identified in this study represent valuable genetic resources for germplasm enhancement, parental selection, and the development of genetically diverse breeding populations, thereby supporting future soybean improvement programmes.

Keywords

Glycine max (L.) Merr.SSR markersGenetic diversityPolymorphism information contentUPGMAJaccard's similarity coefficientSeed longevity

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