Microsatellite-containing sequences for the Betulaceae ( Betula , Corylus , and Alnus ) were retrieved from GenBank and used to develop twelve new microsatellite marker primer pairs that amplified and were polymorphic in european hazelnut ( Corylus avellana ). The primer pairs were characterized using 50 european hazelnut accessions. Nine of these microsatellites that segregated in a mapping population were assigned to linkage groups. The 12 new primer pairs will be useful in genetic studies in Corylus and Betula . To investigate transferability of microsatellite primer pairs in the family Betulaceae, we assessed the ability of 129 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer pairs (75 from Corylus , 52 from Betula , and two from Alnus ) to amplify DNA of 69 accessions representing diverse taxa. Microsatellite primer pairs from Betula amplified 92% of Betula , 51% of Alnus , 41% of Corylus , 37% of Carpinus , 35% of Ostryopsis , and 34% of Ostrya acce ssions. In the 69 accessions, microsatellite primer pairs from Corylus amplified 81% of Corylus , 55% of Carpinus , 53% of Ostrya , 51% of Ostryopsis , 41% of Alnus , and 39% of Betula accessions. An additional 147 SSR primer pairs developed from Corylus , used to amplify a subset of 32 accessions, gave similar values: 92% in Corylus , 33% in Carpinus , 33% in Ostrya , 44% in Ostryopsis , 35% in Alnus , and 54% in Betula . The high transferability (>39%) of microsatellite primer pairs between Betula and Corylus will allow comparative studies of the two genera with the greatest economic importance.

Turkey is one of the important gene centers for many crop species. In this research, some ancient wheats such as tetraploid and diploid hulled wheats together with hexaploid tir wheats (Triticum aestivum ssp. leucospermum Korn.) landraces mainly adapted to harsh winter conditions of Eastern Anatolian region of Turkey were characterized at agro-morphological and molecular level. Totally 50 hulled wheat population from Kastamonu, Konya and Kayseri provinces and 15 tir wheats from Kars provinces of Turkey were in-situ collected for characterization in 2013. Some quantitative and qualitative traits of each population were determined. Twenty three hulled wheat population collected from Kastamonu province were distinguished into nine emmer and 14 einkorn wheats at morphological level. Additionally, Konya, Kayseri and Kars population were characterized as einkorn, emmer and tir wheat, respectively. Among the evaluated traits, protein ratios of hulled wheats were strikingly higher than registered cultivars. All the populations were also examined by molecular level by using fluorescently labelled 11 polymorphic SSRs primers. The primers exhibited 104 bands, ranging from 6 to 16 with a mean value 9.45 per loci. The clustering analysis separated the germplasm into two clusters which were also divided into two subclusters based on genetic similarity coefficient. Sixty-five population and five checks were analyzed to estimate mean number of alleles (N), expected and observed heterozygoties (He and Ho), polymorphism information content (PIC), Wright fix index (F), genetic deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectation (Fit-Fis) and genetic variation (Fst) were determined as 9.45, 0.71, 0.07, 0.67, 0.90, 0.39, 0.87 and 0.39, respectively. A clear genetic deviation from Hardy – Weinberg expectation was observed among population in particular. These results showed considerable genetic variation among landraces rather than within population. These molecular information has revealed genetically diverse einkorn, emmer wheat and tir wheat population could be used as parents for further breeding studies in both Turkey and abroad. Furthermore, the molecular analysis has also generally discriminated the germplasm into ploidy level.