Identification and analysis of the genetic integrity of different types of rice resources through SSR markers

Abstract Seed aging is the key factor leading to the loss of genetic integrity. In this study, the seeds of Dongxiang wild rice, Xianggu, 9194 and Nipponbare were kept in a plant incubator with constant temperature and humidity for artificial aging treatment. The genetic integrity of germplasm resources with different germination gradients were analyzed using 44 SSR markers. The results suggested that different accessions could be ranked in order of aging resistance from highest to lowest as common wild rice > Xianggu > 9194 > Nipponbare. In order to maintain the genetic diversity of rice, the population size for reproduction and regeneration should be between 60 and 140. After aging, the number of polymorphic alleles, the number of specific single plant, the ratio of polymorphic bands, the number of alleles, the number of effective alleles, gene diversity index and Shannon index of different accessions all decreased with the decrease of germination rate. The germination rate of 60% was the critical value to maintain genetic integrity. Besides, the genetic integrity of eighteen SSR markers was rapidly lost or significantly increased. The regions of these markers were closely related to seed viability or genetic integrity. This study provides a theoretical basis for determining the population size for reproduction and regeneration and the critical value of germination rate of rice resources.