A Tolerance Evaluation and Genetic Relationship Analysis Among Some Economically Important Chestnut Cultivars in Turkey Using Drought Associated SSR and EST-SSR Markers 

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate drought tolerance and genetic relationship analyzes among some important chestnut cultivars for Turkey by using drought related genomic SSR markers and genic EST-SSR markers. The values such as average and total number of alleles, number of polymorphic alleles, polymorphism ratio, heterozygosity, polymorphism information content, discriminating power and marker index for these primers were determined. All microsatellite markers used in this study showed 100% polymorphism among chestnut cultivars. In UPGMA dendograms obtained with both SSR and EST-SSR markers, Erfelek and Hacıömer chestnut cultivars were determined as the most similar cultivars. As a result of the use of EST SSR markers named GOT045, GOT021, GOT004, FIR094 and VIT033, some preliminary information was obtained for the determination of drought tolerance in 11 chestnut cultivars. Marigoule cultivar which is known to be drought resistant, was taken as a basis in evaluating the drought tolerance of other chestnut cultivars. As a result, high accuracy molecular analyzes were carried out for chestnut breeding. It has been revealed that drought related genomic and genic markers will be useful in marker assisted selection studies. Thus, early selection will be ensured and breeding studies will be carried out more effectively.