Validation of Candidate Markers Drought Tolerance in Soybean Genotypes under Normal and Drought Stress Condition

The validity test of the linked markers to identified QTLs is as a necessary step before performing marker assisted selection. In the present study were conducted validity test of 21 microsatellite markers associated to drought tolerance using 121 soybean varieties and advanced lines and planting in two condition normal and under drought stress at two regions Rasht and Gonbad-Kavous. In investigation of population genetic diversity, the average of allele number per marker, 5.53 alleles and average of polymorphic information content (PIC), Nei genetic diversity coefficient (H) and Shannon index (I) were estimated 0.73, 0.77 and 1.57 respectively that high values of these statistics shows their ability to separate studied varieties and lines. The structure and cluster analysis based on bayesian approach and neighbor joining method assigned the cases to three subpopulation and three groups respectively. The association analysis between microsatellite markers and yield related traits using GLM and MLM by three statistic models revealed Satte454, Satt345, Satte210, Sat_292, Satt142, Satt339, Satt249 and Satt458 were confirmed in this genetic background and identified as the most effective markers. The highest percent of variation explanation were dedicated to Sat_292 and Satt454 with more than 18 percent variation explanation of seed weight in all plant pods in normal and drought condition respectively.