Indigenous Mota-named coarse rice germplasm is distinct from fine-grained rice collected from south-central coastal Bangladesh as compared with the morphological descriptors and molecular markers

While crop enhancement can be performed using the agronomical adaptive traits of local crop varieties, human actions and climatic conditions alter their diversity. An assessment and characterization of 20 germplasm accessions of Mota-named coarse rice diversity alongside eight fine-grained rice from the south-central region of Bangladesh is our primary objective. In this original study, we perform the evaluation of genetic variability of Mota-named coarse rice in comparison with the fine rice from south-central coastal Bangladesh using morphological characteristics and SSR molecular markers. Nineteen morphological descriptors showed distinct variations. Three prominent groups surfaced from simple sequence repeat (SSR). Eighty-seven percent and 13% of genetic variation within and among populations were observed, respectively, using analysis of molecular variance. Five subpopulations emerged from model-based structure study. The studied SSR loci showed 0.642 (for mean polymorphism content value per primer), 0.862 (as highest value), and 0.683 (as average value) for gene diversity of every locus. Geographical information-based molecular analysis revealed high allelic richness (18–21) in the upazilas (counties) of Bauphal, Galachipa, and Dumki, all in the district of Patuakhali, division of Barisal. Morphological–molecular analysis of Mota-named coarse rice germplasm revealed a considerable amount of genetic diversity and a prominent level of population structure. Our results provide information useful for future breeding and conservation programs.