application of microsatellite markers for identification and registration of walnut cultivars

due to the complex assessment of young walnut cultivars (juglansregia l.) based on morphological traits, advance molecular tools have provided a new prospect for cultivar identification and dna fingerprinting. in this study, specific molecular keys were identified for 5 iranian walnut cultivars (juglansregia l.) using 30 ssr markers. the results showed that 5 ssr markers produced polymorphic bands for studied iranian walnut cultivars. ssr markers wp-376andabrii-wm-6produced specific molecular keys in walnut cultivars k72, z30, z53 and z60. due to different genetic background, it was impossible to recommend the b21 and z67 genotypes as mother’s trees. the specific molecular keys were verified on 39 walnut mother's trees and the results were confirmed at two independent laboratories. the reported specific molecular keys can be used for identification of 5 iranian walnut cultivars in juvenile period.