Genetic diversity of Ginkgo biloba half-sib families based on AFLP technology

•Test materials from the 30 main distribution areas of Ginkgo biloba in China.•Build the Ginkgo biloba half-sib families germplasm nursery.•Studied the ginkgo half-siblings family genetic diversity, discusses the evolution of the Ginkgo biloba.•The results of this study have important guiding significance for further breeding of Ginkgo biloba.

The genetic diversity of 30 Ginkgo biloba half-sib families was analyzed using an amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique. Eight AFLP primers pairs were used for DNA amplification and a total of 1727 bands were obtained, all of which were polymorphic. Half-sib families from the middle and eastern regions of China had a lower level of genetic diversity than those from the southern, western, and northern regions. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that the 30 G. biloba half-sib families had large genetic differentiations; 73.7% of genetic variations were mainly from variations within the families, the remaining 26.3% was attributed to variations among the families. A genetic cluster analysis of the 30 G. biloba half-sib families based on Nei’s genetic distance divided them into two groups; one group was distributed mainly in the middle, southern, and southwest regions of China while the other was mainly in northern, middle, eastern, and western regions. On the basis of these results, we propose a strategy for the selection of improved varieties of G. biloba half-sib families and the zoning of the improved varieties on a national scale.