Analysis of cotton genetic diversity by microsatellites and pedigree

The main objective of this study was to verify the association between the coefficient of parentage estimates and multivariate techniques which were used as measures of genetic diversity in cultivars. Thirty cotton cultivars were used for this purpose among which genetic diversity was estimated by means of the parentage coefficient (CP) and also through multivariate techniques employing microsatellite markers (SSR). The correlation between genetic distances obtained by CPs and SSRs for cultivars was positive and significant, with a value of 0.25. The 18 ancestors evaluated in the current study contributed with 69% to the genetic constitution of the 30 cotton cultivars. The evidence that few ancestors actually contribute to the genetic constitution of the cotton cultivars used in Brazil indicates that new alleles should be introduced into the gene pool of these cultivars in order to broaden the genetic base of cotton.