Application of SSR markers to differentiate new varieties of soybean (<em>Glycine max</em> (L.) Merr.)

Purpose. To study the molecular genetic polymorphism in new soybean varieties using SSR-markers as for the possibility to apply it for examination of varieties for difference, uniformity and stability. Methods. Molecular genetic analysis of nucleic acids, cluster analysis. Results. The results of study of molecular genetic polymorphism in 25 varieties of soybean through microsatellite markers using polymerase chain reaction were presented. Analysis of the amplification products has showed that for all the studied SSR-markers intra-species polymorphism was observed in the ‘Alinda’ variety, for the loci Satt 228 and Satt 726 – in the ‘Arnica’ variety, for the loci Satt 063 and Satt 726 – in the ‘Furio’ variety, which was taken into account in further studies of some genotypes. When asses­sing polymorphism in the studied varieties, it was determined that the frequencies of the identified alleles were ranging from 0,02 to 0,1 that depended on the microsatellite locus. Using cluster analysis, genetic distances were determined between varie­ties. The distance between many varieties, particularly in 59 cases, was 3.61, 3.16 and 2.83, these values of genetic distances prevailed in the studied sample of varieties. Conclusions. Analysis of molecular genetic polymorphism showed that 10 varieties were the most polymorphic among 25 studied ones, that should be taken into account in their further identification. It was determined that the identified alleles were evenly represented in the sample of studied soybean varieties, as evidenced by a high polymorphic index of the locus (0.83–0.94). According to the evaluation of gene­tic distances between varieties, it was found that the varie­ties were the most similar by loci when the genetic distances between them were 2.00, and the varieties were the most different when the distances were 3.87. Thus, the marker system, which consists of four microsatellite loci such as Satt 063, Satt 114, Satt 228 and Satt 726, is effective for defining the difference between studied soybean varieties.