Molecular Characteristics of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Forty-five (45) Sesame genotypes were collected from five farmers in three (3) major sesame producing states in Nigeria, which are positions in the North Central (Nasarawa), East (Bauchi), and Northwest (Kano states) of the six (6) geo-political zones of Nigeria. This was carried out using simple random sampling technique (SRS). Five simple sequence repeat markers (SSR) were screened and used to determine the genetic relatedness of the sesame genotypes. Phylogenetic relations were determined by cluster analysis using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA). Multivariate grouping was carried out using factorial coordinate analysis (FCoA) A total of 99 n=bands were identified of which all were polymorphic. The number of amplified fragments per primers ranging from 25(SEMI10) to 27 (SM8). Polymorphic fragments were generated by SSR makers SM8, SEM10, and SM9, while primer SME18 and SME44 did not identify any genotype. The dendrogram grouped the genotype into six clusters with an overall similarity coefficient of 67%.Genotype Var01(KBil) collected from Bichi LGA of Kano state was genetically distinct from all other genotype at dissimilarity coefficient of 0.33. The FCoA placed the 45 genotypes of sesame into 6 groups with total of 25 genotypes. From the FCoA ,genotype var 01 (KBi 1) from Bichi LGA of Kano state, var 45 (NE 2) and var 32 (NL 2) from different farmers indifferent LGA of Nasarawa state, were the most distinct from the other genotype. The FCoA failed to differentiate genotype values to their area of origin. The PLC values ranged from 0.137(SEM9) -0.712 (SM8) and loci having PIC values closer to 1 are more desirable. Although 100% polymorphism was obtained for primers SM9, and SEM10, primer SM8 was most informative with the highest 0.712).