GENETIC ANLYSIS OF SEVEN GARLIC VARIETIES FROM PROMINENT GROWING AREAS IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the genetic similarity and diversity of seven garlic accessions from Vietnam using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Whole garlic bulbs were used for DNA extraction, which was performed using the GeneJET Plant Genomic DNA Purification Kit. DNA concentration and purity were determined using a NanoVue Plus spectrometer. PCR procedures for each primer set were optimized, and the best amplification temperature regime was selected. Of the ten SSR primer sets used, Asa04, Asa06, Asa07, Asa08, Asa16, Asa18, and Asa20 showed good amplifications with bright, clear bands. In contrast, Asa10 and Asa14 did not amplify the DNA of any samples, and Asa17 did not amplify the DNA from the NhonHai, VanHai, and NinhHoa samples but did for the other samples. The genetic distance matrix revealed high similarity among the garlic samples, ranging from 0.90 to 1.00. The phylogenetic analysis grouped the samples into two clusters: Group I (VinhHai1, VinhHai2, VinhHai3, and LySon) and Group II (NhonHai, VanHai, and NinhHoa), suggesting that the samples within each group likely originated from the same source. These findings highlight the necessity of using more molecular markers and conducting in-depth biochemical analyses to further understand the genetic and biochemical differences between garlic varieties in Vietnam. This study provides a foundation for future research on garlic breeding and cultivar improvement.