Genetic diversity among maize inbred lines selected for the mid- altitudes and highlands of Rwanda

Understanding the genetic diversity and relationships among breeding materials is fundamentally considerable for any crop improvement program. This study was carried out to apply specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to determine the amount of genetic diversity prevailing among maize inbred lines selected for the mid-altitudes and highlands of Rwanda and classify the inbred lines according to their relationships for an effective hybrid breeding program. Seventy one maize inbred lines from different sources were genotyped with ninety two SNP markers. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) revealed that there was a random allocation of the inbred lines into different clusters and they were allocated into 2 major clusters regardless their origin. The highest (0.375) polymorphic information content (PIC) observed was exhibited by 3 markers; PZA00543_12, PZA00878_2, and PZA01735_1; while the lowest PIC value was revealed by the marker PZA01755_1 (0.1224).The PIC value (0.30) revealed in this study may confirm the potential for these SNP markers to discriminate between inbred lines from diverse origins and their usefulness for diversity analysis of maize inbred lines under this study. Genetic clustering information acquired from the current study would be suitable information not only for maize hybrid program establishment in Rwanda, but also for other collaborative tropical maize breeding programs. This might guide towards suitable heterotic patterns and groups as well as the combining ability of the inbred lines involved in this study.