Abstract

LONDONO MURILLO, JULIANA et al. Theobroma cacao L. CLONES MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION USING MOLECULAR MICROSATELLITE MARKERS. Luna Azul [online]. 2011, n.32, pp.52-60. ISSN 1909-2474.

Theobroma cacao L. is the only Theobroma species that is commercially exploited in enormous extensions, registering presently wide distribution worldwide through development programs directly influenced by factors linked to the market and the producers, traders, industrials, and consumers’ interests. In this study 12 cacao clones were evaluated by means of molecular markers using 10 microsatellite sequences (SSRs) as a pilot study before a test at a greater scale. The data were processed using the Power Maker Version 3.25 program. The allelic frequencies were stimated and a genetic distance matrix was developed based on the Nei coefficient. Using the UPGMA grouping algorithm the corresponding dendrogram was generated. The diversity analysis showed a total genetic diversity index of 0.6944 considered intermediate for the materials evaluated. The average heterozygocity estimate was 0.58579 and the average polymorphic information content was 0.6523. In this study markers mTcCIR6, mTcCIR25, mTcCIR26 and mTcCIR12 are the most informative and polymorphic ones. It is recommended to relate the genetic diversity results with morpho-agronomic and pathogenicity characters in the different cacao clones in order to consolidate efficient strategies for disease improvement and control.

Keywords : Theobroma cacao L.; microsatellites; genetic diversity; phyto improvement; germoplasm.

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