This study focused on four cultivars of date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) planted in DhiQar Governorate (Date Palm Genetic Bank Project): Al-Shawithi, Al-Barhi, Al-Khudrawi, and Jamal Al-Din. The study’s aim was to determine the genetic fingerprint of each cultivar and probe the genetic variation and relatedness among them. The use of the PCR-ISSR technique, which relies on analyzing DNA genetic material variation, was successful. The results showed the Al-Barhi and Al-Shawithi cultivars exhibited genetic diversity using the ISSR 4 primer, resulting in 16 genetic patterns. The ISSR 7 primer produced the most genetic patterns, reaching 23 patterns. When using cluster analysis for the cultivars, the Al-Shawithi cultivar’s isolation was evident from the rest of the cultivars. The results also indicated a genetic proximity between the Al-Khudrawi and Jamal Al-Din cultivars, while the Al-Barhi cultivar deviated somewhat from these two cultivars. This was prominent through the depiction of genetic ratio records.
Date palm (P. dactylifera L.), genetic variation, ISSR primers, genetic fingerprint
The date palm (P. dactylifera L.) cultivars Al-Barhi and Al-Shawithi exhibited genetic diversity using the ISSR 4 primer, resulting in 16 genetic patterns.