Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of maize, Zea mays, in Both Landraces and Cultivar Lines

Enzyme electrophoresis was used to estimate genetic diversity and population structure of maize, Zea mays L. (Graminales) in Korea. In nine populations, fourteen of the 24 loci (58.3 %) showed detectable polymorphism. Genetic diversity (0.205) was higher than average values for species with similar life history traits. Although our data are relatively small and the landraces not direct ancestors of cultivar, apparently the domestication process has eroded the levels of genetic variation of maize. The recent cultivars were found to have fewer alleles per locus (1.42 vs. 1.56), fewer alleles per polymorphic locus (2.27 vs. 2.33), lower percent polymorphic locus (33.3% vs. 41.7%), and lower diversity (0.159 vs. 0.185) than landraces. These genetic diversity parameters indicated that the cultivar populations were genetically depauperate relative to landlaces. The GST value of nine populations was 0.239. Nearly 76% of the total genetic diversity in Zea mays was apportioned within populations. The indirect estimate of gene new based on mean GST was moderate (Nm=0.80).