Genetic diversity analysis of Palestinian safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers

The genetic characterization of Palestinian safflower landraces remains unknown due to the absence of prior research using molecular methods. Characterizing crop diversity is vital for breeding and germplasm conservation efforts. This study aimed to address this gap by evaluating the genetic diversity of 18 Palestinian local safflower landraces using nine inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 123 polymorphic DNA fragments (100%) were identified, with 3–25 fragments per marker and an average resolving power of 7.68. Analysis of the data revealed two major clusters among the genotypes, thereby suggesting distinct genetic diversity within the Palestinian safflower genotypes. Cluster I was further divided into two sub-clusters, whereas Cluster II showed additional branching. In particular, PTUK.SA15 is distinguished as the most genetically distinct. The similarity coefficients ranged from 0.149 to 0.756. The current research represents the first study to utilize molecular markers to analyze the genetic diversity of locally grown Palestinian safflower landraces. The significant polymorphism identified within the ISSR markers confirmed their effectiveness in distinguishing genetic variations among these safflower genotypes.