Comparison of similarity coefficients in sesame cultivars clustering using RAPD markers

Abstract

Thirteen similarity coefficients were evaluated by the UPGMA method for clustering ofnine sesame cultivars based on 613 RAPD markers. Distance matrices were estimated from the arithmetic complement of the Simple Matching, Jaccard, Kulczynski2, Indexlll, Ochiai, Ochiaill, Rogers and Tanimoto, Russel and Rao, Sorensen-Nei and Li, Baroni- Urbani and Buser, Sokal and Sneath, Haman and Phi coefficients. They all identified the same pairs of most divergent and most similar cultivars (2 and 7, 3 and 4, respectively). Except for the Russel and Rao’s, the UPGMA dendrograms formed three identical groups. Based on the nature of the RAPD markers and the mathematical properties of Jaccard, Kulczynski2, Ochiai and Sorensen-Nei and Li coefficients, it is concluded that these coefficients are the most suitable for clustering sesame cultivars.