Assessment of Genetic Diversity of Local Coffee Populations in Southwestern Saudi Arabia Using SRAP Markers

Coffea arabica, a member of the Rubiaceae family, is most commercially important species genus Coffea. It has been grown on mountain terraces southwestern Saudi Arabia for centuries. At present, subject to increased genetic erosion due abandonment many gardens by their owners and increasingly dry climate. The current study was carried out determine diversity 56 local coffee accessions collected from southern regions using 30 sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Six SRAP markers showed among accessions. A total 1125 bands, with an average 187.5, produced all six primers. polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged 74.8 97.7, 91.4 studied high percentage seen in this study, along number alleles PIC values primers used, demonstrate that approach effective molecular technique assessing populations. structural analysis sharp peak, no ambiguity, demonstrating highest delta K value at = 3 6, could be grouped into three main populations, respectively. PCoA, cluster analysis, population results suggest considerable populations growing Arabia. were segregated five groups, mostly according geographic distribution. districts Jazan region clustered groups 2 4, while northern Al-Baha Assir formed separate groups. Based these analyses, KSA1R, KSA6R, KSA21, KSA25, KSA37, KSA38, KSA42, KSA59, KSA60, KSA62, KSA63 divergent. genotypes should conserved use coffee-breeding programs improve agronomic crop, broaden base C. arabica increase environmental resilience. Additional functional genomics studies are necessary further elucidate how germplasm evolved enhance Arabica Kingdom.