Characterization and evaluation of genetic diversity of Iranian mango (Mangifera indica L., Anacardiaceae) genotypes using microsatellites

Mango is an important tropical fruit crop that is believed to be native to Southeastern Asia and currently cultivated worldwide in regions with tropical and subtropical climates. However, the extant diversity in most mango producing countries is still poorly understood. In this work we have used 16 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers to analyze 41 mango genotypes present in Iran. A total of 56 alleles were detected from 15 polymorphic loci ranging from 2 to 6 alleles per locus with an average of 3.7 alleles per locus. Mean expected and observed heterozygosities over the 15 polymorphic SSR loci averaged 0.57 and 0.63 respectively. The SSRs studied allowed the unambiguous identification of all the mango genotypes analyzed except few synonymies. UPGMA and Bayesian cluster analysis suggested a clear separation between the Iranian cultivars originated from India and Pakistan.

► Molecular characterization and diversity of 41 Iranian mango genotypes analyzed with 15 polymorphic SSR markers.
► Population structure shows clear separation between genotypes from Pakistan and India.
► Several synonymies and homonymies found that will be useful to optimize germplasm management.