Wild relatives of Sorghum bicolor have become good source of valuable genes presenting greater opportunity for enhancing breeding efforts in the crop. A modest collection of wild sorghums maintained at Purdue University belong to 12 species and subspecies and trace to 12 different countries as their place of origin. A sample of 28 accessions representing the taxonomic groups as well as geographical origin was chosen for analysis of genomic diversity among this wild sorghum collection using S. bicolor microsatellite markers. Allelic richness for 12 loci was studied and diversity indices calculated. Results will be presented on the genetic diversity encompassed in this set of wild sorghums. Use of S. bicolor genetic markers to characterize allelic patterns among wild species will be discussed as a tool for identifying useful genes for crop improvement as well as for assessing level of hybridization between cultivated sorghum and its wild relatives.
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See more of The ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings (November 6-10, 2005)