Understanding of genetic diversity among a breeding population is an
important requirement for crop improvement as it allows for the
selection of diverse parental combinations and formation of heterotic
pools for genetic gain. This study was carried out to determine genetic
diversity within and among 51 farmer-preferred cassava ( Manihot
esculenta ) landraces and 15 elite accessions grown in Uganda. Twenty
six simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers used for genetic diversity
assessment in this study revealed a total of 154 alleles, of which 24%
were unique alleles present only in landraces. The genetic diversity
and observed herozygosity in landraces were slightly higher than in
elite accessions. Elite accessions clustered with some of the landraces
indicating that there were some alleles in common. However, 58.8% of
the landraces fell into 3 different clusters independent of the elite
accessions. Including these landraces with unique alleles in cassava
breeding schemes will increase the chances of producing farmer
preferred adapted elite cultivars. The study also revealed genetic
differentiation among accessions from different regions providing an
opportunity for establishment of heterotic pools within a breeding
programme.La compr\ue9hension de la diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique est une
condition importante dans la s\ue9lection de diverses combinaisons
parentales et la formation des groupes h\ue9terotiques
d\u2019int\ue9r\ueat g\ue9n\ue9tique pour
l\u2019am\ue9lioration des cultures. Cette \ue9tude \ue9tait
conduite pour d\ue9terminer la diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique
parmi 51 vari\ue9t\ue9s locales de manioc ( Manihot esculenta )
pr\ue9f\ue9r\ue9es des fermiers et 15 accessions \ue9lites
cultiv\ue9es en Ouganda. Vingt six marqueurs simples \ue0 sequence
r\ue9p\ue9t\ue9e (SSR) utilis\ue9s pour l\u2019\ue9valuation
de la diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 un
total de 154 all\ue8les, parmi lesquelles 24% \ue9taient des
all\ue8les uniques pr\ue9sentes dans les races locales seulement.
La diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique et
l\u2019h\ue9terozygosit\ue9 observ\ue9es dans les races locales
\ue9taient l\ue9g\ue8rement sup\ue9rieures que dans les
accessions \ue9lites. Celles-ci s\u2019\ue9taient regroup\ue9es
avec quelques vari\ue9t\ue9s locales indiquant donc qu\u2019elles
avaient quelques all\ue8les en commun. Par ailleurs, 58.8% des races
locales ont form\ue9 trois diff\ue9rents groupes
ind\ue9pendamment des accessions \ue9lites. Inclure ces races
locales \ue0 all\ue8les uniques dans les syst\ue8mes
d\u2019am\ue9lioration du manioc permettra d\u2019augmenter les
chances de produire des cultivars \ue9lites pr\ue9f\ue9r\ue9s
des fermiers. L\u2019\ue9tude montre aussi que la
diff\ue9renciation g\ue9n\ue9tique trouv\ue9e parmi les
accessions de diff\ue9rentes r\ue9gions est une opportunit\ue9
offerte pour l\u2019\ue9tablissement des groupes h\ue9terotiques
dans le programme d\u2019am\ue9lioration