Fennel (Family Apiaceeae) is one of those strategic medicinal and aromatic plants in Egypt with great value as an economical exported plant. Fennel undergoes propagation through breeding of some fennel cultivars from different world region in order to keep out of genetic deterioration in the native Egyptian cultivars, and enrich its favorable active ingredients. The advanced plant breeding programs depend on some markers such as morphological, cytological, biochemical and molecular markers to study its genetic diversity.
In this work two molecular markers ISSR and SCoT markers were used to assessment of genetic diversity among six fennel cultivars (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) planted in Egypt; three of Egyptian origin (Balady, Elalamy and Azoricum) and the other ones are of different origin (Holland, Indian and German). The analyzed data reveals that the ISSR marker is more discriminating, provides more informative data than SCoT marker and can be reliable to evaluate the genetic diversity among the six examined cultivars as it performs the highest percentage of polymorphism 61% and higher unique bands number (4). According to ISSR molecular marker German and Indian cultivars are close distant; can exchange gene in between them smoothly despite the ultimate change in the environmental and weather conditions of their origin land.
In conclusion, according to Nie^,s and li^,s coefficient based on SCoT marker analysis between the cultivars; Indian cultivar was quite distant from Azoricum by the same time that Azoricum is close distant to Holland, as well as; Elalamy is close distant to Balady.