Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) has a diverse germplasm, comprising 152 accessions that differ in productivity. These received evaluation during 2024 and 2025 for yield indicators and genetic diversity under field conditions in the North Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. The accessions underwent grouping based on their productivity, with the efficiency of 16 SSR markers evaluated for genotyping the proso millet genotypes. According to analysis, 9% of the total genetic variability was evident among the yielding genotype groups, while 91% variability was within groups. The fixation index showed a moderate, however, significant genetic ranking between low-, medium-, and high-yielding genotypes (Fst = 0.091). AMOVA showed that 9% of the total genetic variation was in association with differences among the yield groups, while observing 91% within groups. Correlation analysis of the SSR markers and agronomic traits sought to identify the promising markers found capable of determining productive tillering in various proso millet genotypes. Three SSR markers (SSR 409, SSR 365, and SSR 331) had moderate to significant correlation with the studied traits; the marker SSR 409 also had the maximum PIC value (0.595). The PCoA has proven capable of separating low-, high-, and medium-yielding genotypes and possibly helped in reducing the duration of the selection process.
Proso millet (P. miliaceum L.), germplasm, genetic diversity, agronomic traits, grain yield, SSR markers
The SSR markers established significant associations with viable agronomic traits and served as useful tools for targeted breeding aimed at improving productivity and developing genetically enhanced proso millet (P. miliaceum L.) genotypes.