Genome survey of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) accessions revealed by Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is the only cultivated and commercially important species in the genus Pistacia, consisting of a deciduous, dioeciously and wind-pollinated at least 11 tree species. Pistacia vera is native to north Afghanistan, northeast Iran, and central Asian republics. To investigate the genetic diversity of pistachio (Pistacia vera), we genotyped 30 cultivars of this species using 10 Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers. The SCoT markers generated 9-25 alleles (155 in total) with an average of 16 per locus. The highest value of percentage polymorphism (61.99%) was observed in Ghafori Rafsanjan (cultivars No.27) which shows high value for gene diversity (0.42) and Shanon, information index (0.39). Genotype Shahpasand (Pust Ghermez) (No.10) has the lowest value for percentage of polymorphism (20%) and the lowest value for Shanon, information index (0.15), and He (0.010). Genetic similarity values obtained from Dice’s coefficient ranged from 0.66 (between Akbari (Pust Ghermez) and Badami Dishkalaghi) to 0.88 (between populations Menghar Kalaghi and Kaleghochi (Pust Ghermez). The main objectives of this study were to assess the genetic diversity and genetic relationship of pistachio cultivars in Iran. These results could benefit Irainian pistachio germplasm collection, conservation and future breeding.