Genetic variability analysis of tomato varieties using rapd markers under heat stress

Abstract

Heat stress threatens agricultural and food security by reducing yield and causing plant death. The use of intra-genetic diversity in heat stress responses is a potential avenue for harnessing tolerance to climate change circumstances. This study investigated the genetic diversity of twelve tomato genotypes in Bangladesh, focusing on their suitability for summer cultivation using seven Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The banding patterns obtained from the PCR results were used to identify genetic differences between individuals. The RAPD markers were found to show their effectiveness in discriminating the studied lines through the computation of average Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) values, particularly focusing on dominant markers with PIC values ranging from 0 to 0.5, emphasizing the informative nature of the employed primers. Cluster analysis grouped several genotypes with possible common ancestry. Overall, BARI Hybrid Tomato 4, BARI Hybrid Tomato 8, A12, D13, and RHS1 emerged as promising candidates for further genetic research and breeding programs, particularly in the context of heat-stress conditions during summer tomato cultivation in Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Bot. 53(1): 91-100, 2024 (March)