Paper Title
Genetic Diversity and Relationship of Highland Rice Landraces in Northern Thailand Analyzed by Highly Variable SSR Markers

Abstract
A novel collection of 20 highland rice landraces in northern Thailand were analyzed for molecular diversity and evolutionary relationship. Total of 36 highly variable simple sequence repeat (HvSSR) markers providing genome wide coverage, were used. Twenty-eight out of 36 markers were polymorphic amplifying a total of 130 alleles, with 2 to 9 alleles per loci. Structure and genetic distance analyses had reveals board diverseness among northern Thai highland rice which separated into 2 groups. The first group consisted of 9 highland landraces i.e. Buephopri, Lueang Lisu, Buephobo, Buepamae, Bueso, Blela, Buemue Maela, Buechepre Maeridpakae, Buepololekha, which clustered with 5 commercial rice of Thailand. The other 11 landraces i.e. Chanonue, Khao Musser, Chanomeoi, Chabebe, Buephato Nongkhiaw, Buetola Nongkhiaw, Buetolaso Sobkhong, Bueikae Sobkhong, Chatepui Huaylannai, Chachikui Huaylannai, Deang Musser formed the second group. This second group exhibited significant different genetic structure (p<0.05) from the first one and could be selected as a new genetic resource for further rice development and breeding. Keywords - Rice, Highland, Highly variable SSR Markers, Genetic Diversity, Northern Thailand.