DIFFERENTIATION OF WHEAT VARIETIES THROUGH MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR APPROACHES

Abstract

Genetic variation within species has been assessed by many methods and from several perspectives. In present thesis, both RAPD markers and morphology were successfully used to differentiate four cultivars of wheat named Bijoy, Prodip, Sourav and Shatabdi. Four distinct morphological characters were identified to differentiate four varieties. In lower glume beak length, at physiological maturity stage, distinctness was observed. In Bijoy it was almost rudiment (1-2mm), in Prodip its length was the highest (15-18mm), in Shatabdi it was medium 12-15mm and in Sourav it was small (8-10mm). In Zadok growth stage 25-29, a distinct difference was observed in four wheat varieties. Growth habit of Sourav was erect, Shatabdi semi-erect and Prodip intermediate. Heading days at Zadok growth stage were 68 for Sourav, 71 for Shatabdi, 63 for Bijoy and 60 for Prodip. Clum glaucosity was strong in Sourav, weak in Shatabdi and Prodip and medium in Bijoy. Among the eleven primers initially tested, two primers (OPA-02 and OPB-01) yielded comparatively higher number of amplification products with high intensity, minimal smearing and good resolutions with clear bands. All of them (100 %) were considered as polymorphic and no monomorphic band was found the primer OPA-02 produced 16 bands and the other primer OPB-01 generated 17 bands respectively. The present experiment produce 33 scoreable bands by using two primers (OPA-02 r produced 16 and OPB-01 produced 17 bands) and they were polymorphic RAPD markers. The result of RAPD marker was more distinct than the morphological marker for the differentiation of wheat varieties. Phenotypic characters were influenced by the environment but incase of molecular marker the reproducibility of RAPD markers were the same in the same reaction conditions. So RAPD marker was found as a potential, simple, rapid and reliable method to evaluate the genetic variation.