Assessing Genetic Variation and Relationships among a Mini Core Germplasm of Sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.) Using Biochemical and RAPD Markers

Knowledge of genetic diversity is essential for any future varietal improvement program. Thus, the objective of this study is to contribute to a better knowledge of the genetic diversity within 15 sesame accessions, using biochemical markers and RAPD. The accessions are of various sources and seeds of different colors; color being an important feature in the sesame market. SDS-PAGE on protein extracts of sesame seeds revealed 31 protein markers, only 4 of which were polymorphic, indicating that this technique is not suitable for studying genetic diversity in S. indicum. The analyses on isoenzymatic extracts of esterase from sesame seedlings made it possible, to distinguish and classify the accessions into 2 major groups. RAPD analysis of genomic DNA using 10-mer primers revealed a high inter-accession genetic diversity. A total of 53 DNA markers, including 48 polymorphic, were produced. The coefficient of similarity between accessions ranged from 0.343 to 0.897. RAPD markers were found to be more suitable for studying genetic diversity within sesame germplasm than isozyme analyzes. Nevertheless, geographical distributions and seed colors are not related to the classes formed.