Estimation of genetic diversity using seed storage protein (SSP) profiling in wild and cultivated species of Cicer L.

Background: The narrow genetic diversity of chickpea is a serious impediment to modern cultivar creation. Seed storage proteins (SSPs) are stable and have minimal or no degradation when subjected to isolation and SDS-PAGE.

Methods And Results: We have characterized SSPs of 436 chickpea genotypes, belonging to nine annual Cicer species, originated from 47 countries by SDS-PAGE and determined the extent of genetic diversity in chickpea through clustering.