African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12497

Full Length Research Paper

Genetic diversity of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench landraces from Northwestern Benin as revealed by microsatellite markers

Antoine Abel MISSIHOUN*
  • Antoine Abel MISSIHOUN*
  • Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin.
  • Google Scholar
Hubert ADOUKONOU-SAGBADJA
  • Hubert ADOUKONOU-SAGBADJA
  • Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin.
  • Google Scholar
Paulin SEDAH
  • Paulin SEDAH
  • Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin.
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Clement AGBANGLA
  • Clement AGBANGLA
  • Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin.
  • Google Scholar
Corneille AHANHANZO
  • Corneille AHANHANZO
  • Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin.
  • Google Scholar
Rollande Alade DAGBA
  • Rollande Alade DAGBA
  • Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin.
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  •  Received: 25 November 2014
  •  Accepted: 07 April 2015
  •  Published: 22 April 2015

Abstract

The understanding of genetic diversity within local crop varieties constitutes an important step in the preservation of their genetic potential. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cultivated in the Northwest of Benin and to reveal certain fundamental evolutionary mechanisms. A total of 61 accessions of sorghum landraces belonging to the four identified races in Benin were estimated using 20 microsatellite markers. For all the loci analyzed, 140 polymorphic alleles were detected with a mean value of 7.00 per locus and polymorphic information content (PIC) average value was 0.33 for all the 20 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), suggesting an important genetic diversity within the cultivated sorghum germplasm used. An unweighted pair group method arithmetic average (UPGMA) clustering and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) based on DICE coefficient revealed three major genetic groups supported by two main components: the botanical race and the morpho-physiological characteristics of the grains (colour and degree of bitterness). It was thus recommended that further research on genetic diversity of sorghum should integrate these genetic parameters for a better preservation of the genetic resources of this important crop in Benin.

 

Key words: Genetic diversity, simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers, Sorghum bicolor, Benin.