Identification of Genetic Variation of Male and Female Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Cultivars Using Morphological and Molecular Markers

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a monocot, dioecious and high longevity tropical plant greatly considered due to its high economic importance in Middle East. This investigation was carried out to detect genetic relations among 34 cultivars of Iranian date palm, both males and females, using ISSR markers. Accordingly, total DNA was extracted using CTAB method and was subjected to PCR amplification using 12 ISSR primers. Analysis of ISSR data indicated that PIC value varied from 0.3695 to 0.4998 with average of 0.4497. The highest PIC value belonged to (CT)10 G primer (0.4498). Totally, 112 alleles were recognized. According to morphological attributes and ISSR markers, the 34 studied date cultivars divided into eight main groups and different sub-groups, and no significant correlation between grouping made by morphological and molecular markers. Unlike ISSR markers that produced a clear-cut among male and female cultivars, no distinct border was seen among male and female cultivars using morphological attributes. Furthermore, PCA analysis confirmed the grouping made by ISSR markers. In conclusion, ISSR markers have been useful to separate date palm cultivars.