Genetic purity of ethiopian maize (zea mays l.) hybrids and diversity among their parental lines using simple sequence repeat markers

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a crucial cereal crop in Ethiopia, serving as a primary source of food, feed, and income for millions of people. However, its productivity remains significantly below the global average due to various challenges, including declining genetic purity, a lack of improved and adaptable varieties, and both biotic and abiotic stresses. Understanding genetic purity and diversity is essential for enhancing crop productivity. This study aimed to assess the genetic purity of selected Ethiopian commercial maize hybrids and the diversity among their parental lines, utilizing simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from three geographic regions of the country. Genomic DNA was extracted following the CTAB-based DArT protocol. In this study, the hybrids like, AMH854, AMH851, MH141, MH138Q, BHQPY545, BH549, BH547, AMH800 AMH852Q, AMH853 and AMH850 were genetically pure. But, AMHO2SYN, BH661, and BH546 displayed genetic purity loss, indicated by residual heterozygosity in their parental lines. Of the 20 SSR markers examined, 19 were polymorphic, yielding a total of 101 alleles. The number of alleles per marker ranged from 3 to 8, with an average of 5.31.