Genetic Relationship of Wild Einkorn Based on Geographical Distribution in Anatolia and Thrace using AFLP Markers

Triticum monococcum L. ssp boeoticum Boiss., is the wild progenitor of domesticated einkorn. High throughput AFLP genetic analysis showed that the domestication of einkorn started in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent, near the Karacadag Mountains, Southeastern Turkey [1]. This study assesses the genetic distribution and the diversity of wild einkorn throughout Turkey, using total of 59 accessions from 22 locations in four different geographical regions. In our study, the four selective combinations of AFLP markers (E+ACC/M+ACT, E+ACC/M+ATA, E+ACT/M+ATA, and E+ATC/M+AAG) resulted in 161 AFLP marker loci. Phylogenetic trees for individual accessions and populations based on geographical regions were obtained using 'PopGen-32' population genetic analysis software. East and Southeast samples were genetically closest to each other among the samples from other regions. The samples from West, Northwest, and Central Anatolia were clustered together.