Abstract: Abstract： In order to take the best of the Guangxi local maize varieties and broaden the genetic base of the Guangxi maize germplasm, the genetic diversity among 45 Guangxi local maize varieties (OPVs) and 15 Canadian maize populations, was analyzed used Bulk-SSR method. The total 240 DNA samples were extracted from 4 bulks of DNA for each population or OPV, and 10 random individual plants equally for each bulk. The results showed that 245 alleles were detected with 70 pairs of selected primers in the 240 bulks of DNA samples attracted from 60 OPVs or populations. The number of alleles per locus was on average 3.5 and ranged 2-6. The Clustering results with UPGMA method based on the genetic similarities of 60 populations showed that 45 Guangxi local OPVs and 15 Canadian populations were classified into 2 groups. Each group consisted of flint and dent subgroups. The waxy corn samples from Guangxi were not clustered as an independent group, but into flint or dent subgroups. Seven levels of allelic combinations among 245 were designed to analyze the least number of alleles required to reveal genetic relationship among the 60 populations. The results indicated that 160 alleles were enough to cluster the 60 germplasm in the current study. Diagnostic alleles were amplified with some certain primers in Guangxi and Canadian germplasm, respectively. Combined with the results of clustering analysis, these diagnostic alleles will be of great importance to find the useful maize germplasm in breeding efforts.

Key words: Maize, Genetic diversity, Bulk sampling, SSR marker