Genetic Diversity among Disease Resistant Coffee Varieties and Cultivars in Rwanda Based On RAPD and SSR Markers

Abstract

Understanding the genetic diversity existing in a germplasm collection is important to identify parental combinations with distinct gene sets that can be used in crossing to obtain superior hybrids. This study was carried out to evaluate the genetic diversity in the Rwandan coffee germplasm using both RAPD and SSR markers and to determine any relationship between these two markers. Varieties with resistance to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease as well as local cultivars in Rwanda were used for DNA extraction and subjected to PCR amplification. The highest values for genetic distances were obtained bet ween BM 139 and HDT and between Harar and Catimor implying that these varieties were genetically quite distinct. The lowest values for genetic distance were recorded between BM 139 and BM 71 and between Matinho and Rume Sudan implying that these varieties were genetically fairly similar. A Pearson correlation of 55.52% was obtained between the two markers indicating a moderate association between these two analytical procedures. It is recommended that crosses should be made between genetically distant susceptible and resistant varieties to derive hybrids that combine resistance with marked levels of heterosis particularly for yield