Agro-Morphological Characteristics and Genetic Diversity of Traditional Glutinous Rice Varieties in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam

Abstract

The analysis of genetic relationship among traditional glutinous rice varieties is crucial for genetic management, conservation, and the development of new varieties. The experiment was conducted from 2023 to 2024 in Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai province, Vietnam to assess the agro-morphological characteristics and genetic diversity of 106 traditional glutinous rice varieties. The study used 48 polymorphic SSR markers to calculate the polymorphic information content (PIC). Cluster analysis of the rice collection was then conducted using a similarity matrix and the Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA). The results revealed a total of 193 alleles, with an average of 4.02 alleles per locus. PIC values ranged from 0.33 to 0.87, with an average of 0.61. The genetic similarity coefficients of the 106 traditional glutinous rice varieties ranged from 0.41 to 0.98. Based on the UPGMA analysis of molecular data using NTSYS-pc 2.11a software, the 106 traditional glutinous rice varieties were grouped into two major clusters, indicating genetic differences. In addition, the varieties exhibited relatively wide range of growth time with most belonging to the short-day and medium-day groups. They displayed medium-to-high plant heights, medium-to-long panicle lengths, and 1000-grain weights ranging from high to extra-high. The correlation coefficient analysis showed that all the traits were correlated with each other, with the yield being strongly correlated with the 1000-grain weight. Therefore, the research findings not only provide an essential starting material for the development of high-quality, high-yield rice varieties but also contribute to the conservation and promotion of the Ngu glutinous rice genotype, which is closely associated with the Sa Huynh cultural heritage.