SSR and RAPD analysis of genetic diversity in walnut (Juglans regia L.) genotypes from Jammu and Kashmir, India.

In this study, the genetic relatedness of 82 walnut genotypes adapted to the North Western Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir, India was analyzed by combination of 13 SSR and 20 RAPD primers. A high level of genetic diversity was observed within populations with the number of alleles per locus ranging from one to five in case of SSR primers and two to six in case of RAPD primers, the proportion of polymorphic loci was 100 %, and similarity ranged from 12 % to 79 % with an average of 49 %. Dendrogram showed that all the accessions formed four main clusters with various degree of sub-clustering within the clusters. These results have implications for walnut breeding and conservation.