Molecular marker heterozygosity and hybrid performance in indica and japonica rice

An essential assumption underlying markerbased prediction of hybrid performance is a strong linear correlation between molecular marker heterozygosity and hybrid performance or heterosis. This study was intended to investigate the extent of the correlations between molecular marker heterozygosity and hybrid performance in crosses involving two sets of rice materials, 9 indica and 11 japonica varieties. These materials represent a broad spectrum of the cultivated rice gene pool including landraces, primitive cultivars, historically important cultivars, modern elite cultivars and parents of superior hybrids. Varieties within each set were intermated in all possible nonreciprocal pairs resulting in 36 crosses in the indica set and 55 in the japonica set. The F₁s and their parents, 111 entries in total, were examined for performance of seven traits in a replicated field trial. The parents were surveyed for polymorphisms using 96 RFLP and ten SSR markers selected at regular intervals from a published molecular marker linkage map. Molecular marker genotypes of the F₁ hybrids were deduced from the parental genotypes. The analysis showed that, with very few exceptions, correlations in the indica dataset were higher than in that of their japonica counterparts. Among the seven traits analyzed, plant height showed the highest correlation between heterozygosity and hybrid performance and heteorsis in both indica and japonica datasets. Correlations were low to intermediate between hybrid performance and heterozygosity (both general and specific) in yield and yield component traits in both indica and japonica sets, and also low to intermediate between specific heterozygosity and heterosis in the indica set, whereas very little correlation was detected between heterosis and heterozygosity (either general or specific) in the japonica set. In comparison to the results from our previous studies, we concluded that the relationship between molecular marker heterozygosity and heterosis is variable, depending on the genetic materials used in the study, the diversity of rice germplasms and the complexity of the genetic basis of heterosis.     

Molecularmarker diversity and hybrid sterility in indica-japonica rice crosses

 The partial sterility of hybrids between the indica and japonica rice subspecies of Asian cultivated rice is a serious constraint for utilizing inter-subspecific heterosis in hybrid rice breeding. In this study, we have investigated the relationship between molecular-marker polymorphism and indica-japonica hybrid fertility using a diallel set involving 20 rice accessions including 9 indica and 11 japonica varieties. Spikelet fertility of the resulting 190 F₁s and their parents was examined in a replicated field trial. Intra-subspecific hybrids showed much higher spikelet fertility than inter-subspecific hybrids except in crosses involving wide-compatibility varieties. The parents were surveyed for DNA polymorphism using 96 RFLP and ten SSR markers, which revealed extensive genetic differentiation between indica and japonica varieties. A large number of markers detected highly significant effects on hybrid fertility. The chromosomal locations for many of the positive markers coincided well with previously identified loci for hybrid sterility. The correlation between hybrid fertility and parental distance was low in both intra- and inter-subspecific crosses. The results suggest that the genetic basis of indica-japonica hybrid sterility is complex. It is the qualitative, rather than the quantitative, difference between the parents that determines the fertility of hybrids. Received: 3 January 1997/Accepted: 17 January 1997     

Analysis of molecular diversity and fingerprinting of commercially grown Indian rice hybrids

Twenty-five commercially grown Indian rice hybrids developed by both the public and private sectors, were analysed for molecular diversity and identification of simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker(s) that can distinguish them from each other. For diversity analysis, a total of fifty eight SSR markers providing genome wide coverage, were used. Forty out of fifty eight SSR markers were polymorphic amplifying a total of 121 alleles with molecular weight ranging from 70 bp ?C 280 bp. Further, characterisation of these markers was carried out generating parameters of heterozygosity (0.42), polymorphism information content (0.31), probability of identity (4.2?×?10^?8) and probability of exclusion (99.99%). Cluster analysis based on a set of fourty highly polymorphic SSR markers generated three groups with dissimilarity index values ranging from 0.0 to 0.8. The hybrids based on common female parent IR58025A grouped together indicating a narrow genetic base of hybrid breeding programme. By combining the rapid and simple method of utilising these unique SSR markers alone or in combination, as molecular tags, identification of all the hybrids was possible even without having their parental lines. Twenty SSR loci produced hybrid specific unique alleles, which will be useful in establishing hybrid??s identity. The results have wide prospective in diversifying the genetic base of hybrid breeding programme, identification of rice hybrids, authentication of genetic purity of hybrid seed and protection of IPR.     

Determination of heterotic groups for tropical Indica hybrid rice germplasm

Key message

Two heterotic groups and four heterotic patterns were identified for IRRI hybrid rice germplasm to develop hybrid rice in the tropics based on SSR molecular data and field trials.

Abstract

Information on heterotic groups and patterns is a fundamental prerequisite for hybrid crop breeding; however, no such clear information is available for tropical hybrid rice breeding after more than 30 years of hybrid rice commercialization. Based on a study of genetic diversity using molecular markers, 18 parents representing hybrid rice populations historically developed at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) were selected to form diallel crosses of hybrids and were evaluated in tropical environments. Yield, yield heterosis and combining ability were investigated with the main objectives of (1) evaluating the magnitude of yield heterosis among marker-based parental groups, (2) examining the consistency between marker-based group and heterotic performance of hybrids, and (3) identifying foundational hybrid parents in discrete germplasm pools to provide a reference for tropical indica hybrid rice breeding. Significant differences in yield, yield heterosis and combining ability were detected among parents and among hybrids. On average, the hybrids yielded 14.8 % higher than the parents. Results revealed that inter-group hybrids yielded higher, with higher yield heterosis than intra-group hybrids. Four heterotic patterns within two heterotic groups based on current IRRI B- and R-line germplasm were identified. Parents in two marker-based groups were identified with limited breeding value among current IRRI hybrid rice germplasm because of their lowest contribution to heterotic hybrids. Heterotic hybrids are significantly correlated with high-yielding parents. The efficiency of breeding heterotic hybrids could be enhanced using selected parents within identified marker-based heterotic groups. This information is useful for exploiting those widely distributed IRRI hybrid rice parents.     

Genetic Variation of Main Parents of Hybrid Rice in China Was Revealed with Simple Sequence Repeat Markers

Total thirty throe parents of hybrid rice ( Oryza sativa L. ), including twenty five rice male sterile lines, throe maintainer lines and five restore lines, were analyzed by using twenty SSR (simple sequence repeats) primer pairs which disperse on 12 chromosomes in rice. Those primers detected 102 alleles among 33 parents of hybrid rice. PIC (polymorphic index content) values ranged from 0.274 to 0.773. PIC value is 0.554 on the average. Five SSR primer pairs selected from fifty six primer pairs can distinguish individually all of the rice male sterile lines and restore lines in the present study. As results from cluster analysis, it was concluded as follows. (1) Rice male sterile lines have abundant genetic diversity in China. Genetic background was vulnerable among rice male sterile lines used in large scale. (2) In indica rice, genetic variation of the restored lines is larger than that of the male sterile lines. (3) The restored lines were clustered separately from the male sterile lines which are grown widely for production.     

用微卫星DNA标记检测中国主要杂交水稻亲本的遗传差异

选用分布于水稻(OryzasativaL.)12条染色体上的20对SSR(Simplesequencerepeats)引物,分析了具有多种质源和较大应用面积的24个水稻胞质雄性不育系、1个光(温)敏核不育系、3个保持系和5个生产中应用较广的恢复系。在以上33份杂交水稻亲本材料间共检测出102个等位基因(alleles),平均每对SSR引物可检测到5.1个等位基因。PIC(polymorphicindexcontent)值的变动范围为0.274～0.773,平均PIC值为0.554。从56对SSR引物中筛选出5对引物,能够有效地区分所有供试的水稻雄性不育系和恢复系。杂交水稻亲本的聚类分析表明:(1)我国水稻雄性不育系遗传变异丰富,但生产中主要应用的水稻雄性不育系遗传背景比较单一。(2)生产中应用面积较大的水稻雄性不育系遗传变异较恢复系差。(3)生产中主要应用的水稻雄性不育系与恢复系分别聚类于不同的类群,且遗传关系较远。     

Genetic diversity and its relationship to hybrid performance and heterosis in rice as revealed by PCR-based markers

Ten elite inbred lines (four japonica, six indica), chosen from those widely used in the hybrid rice breeding program at Human Hybrid Rice Research Center in China, were crossed to produce all possible hybrids excluding reciprocals. The 45 F₁ hybrids along with the ten parents were evaluated for eight traits of agronomic importance, including yield potential, in a replicated field trial. The ten parents were analyzed with 100 arbitrary decamer oligonucleotide primers and 22 microsatellite (simple sequence repeats, SSRs) primer sets via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of the 100 random primers used, 74 were informative and amplified 202 non-redundant bands (variants) with a mean of 2.73 bands per polymorphic primer. All 22 microsatellite primer sets representing 23 loci in the rice genome showed polymorphisms among the ten parents and revealed 90 alleles with an average of 3.91 per SSR locus. Cluster analysis based on Nei's genetic distance calculated from the 291 (202 RAPDs, 89 SSRs) non-redundant variants separated the ten parental lines into two major groups that corresponds to indica and japonica subspecies, which is consistent with the pedigree information. Strong heterosis was observed in hybrids for most of the traits examined. For the 43 diallel crosses (excluding 2 crosses not heading), yield potential, its components (including panicles per plant, spikelets per panicle and 1000-grain weight) and their heterosis in F₁ hybrids showed a significant positive correlation with genetic distance. When separate analyses were performed for the three subsets, yield potential and its heterosis showed significant positive correlations with genetic distance for the 15 indica x indica crosses and the 6 japonica x japonica crosses; however, yield potential and its heterosis were not correlated with genetic distance for the 22 indica x japonica crosses. Results indicated that genetic distance measures based on RAPDs and SSRs may be useful for predicting yield potential and heterosis of intra-subspecific hybrids, but not inter-subspecies hybrids.     

Suppression or knockout of SaF/SaM overcomes the Sa-mediated hybrid male sterility in rice

Hybrids between the indica and japonica subspecies of rice(Oryza sativa) are usually sterile, which hinders utilization of heterosis in the inter-subspecific hybrid breeding. The complex locus Sa comprises two adjacently located genes, SaF and SaM, which interact to cause abortion of pollen grains carrying the japonica allele in japonica-indica hybrids. Here we showed that silencing of SaF or SaM by RNA interference restored male fertility in indica-japonica hybrids with heterozygous Sa. We further used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing to knockout the SaF and SaM alleles, respectively, of an indica rice line to create hybrid-compatible lines. The resultant artificial neutral alleles did not affect pollen viability and other agricultural traits, but did break down the reproductive barrier in the hybrids. We found that some rice lines have natural neutral allele Sa-n, which was compatible with the typical japonica or indica Sa alleles in hybrids. Our results demonstrate that SaF and SaM are required for hybrid male sterility, but are not essential for pollen development. This study provides effective approaches for the generation of hybrid-compatible lines by knocking out the Sa locus or using the natural Sa-n allele to overcome hybrid male sterility in rice breeding.     

The extent of parental genotypic divergence determines maximal heterosis by increasing fertility in inter-subspecific hybrids of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The magnitude of heterosis in F₁ hybrids is related not only to the performance of parents per se but also to the genetic diversity between two parents. The extent of genotypic divergence between hybrid rice parents was investigated at the molecular level, using two subsets of rice materials: a subset of doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from an Indica × Japonica cross (Gui630/02428) and another subset of Indica or Japonica lines representative of a broad spectrum of the Asian cultivated rice gene pool, including landraces, primitive cultivars, historically important cultivars, modern elite cultivars, super rice and parents of superior hybrids. 57 entries deliberately selected from the 81-DH lines (in total) were testcrossed to two widely used rice lines in China, photoperiod-sensitive genic male sterile (PGMS) N422s and thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) Peiai64s. Results of the two sets of test-cross F₁ populations showed congruently that parental genotypic divergence has a relatively low impact on heterosis for the two yield components, i.e., panicle number and 1000-grain weight, but it has a great bearing on fertility parameters, i.e., filled grains per plant and seedset. Heterosis for grain yield in the two test-cross populations exhibited a sharp maximum when the proportion of Japonica alleles in the male parent was between 50 and 60%, so was the heterosis for fertility parameters correspondingly. Thus fertility parameters were the most sensitive and important factors which were influenced by the extent of parental genotypic divergence. Moreover, our results showed that parents with moderate extent of genotypic divergence played an important role in the use of inter-subspecific rice heterosis.     

Heterotic patterns in rapeseed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L.): I. Crosses between spring and Chinese semi-winter lines

Chinese semi-winter rapeseed is genetically diverse from Canadian and European spring rapeseed. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of semi-winter rapeseed for spring rapeseed hybrid breeding, to assess the genetic effects involved, and to estimate the correlation of parental genetic distance (GD) with hybrid performance, heterosis, general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) in crosses between spring and semi-winter rapeseed lines. Four spring male sterile lines from Germany and Canada as testers were crossed with 13 Chinese semi-winter rapeseed lines to develop 52 hybrids, which were evaluated together with their parents and commercial hybrids for seed yield and oil content in three sets of field trials with 8 environments in Canada and Europe. The Chinese parental lines were not adapted to local environmental conditions as demonstrated by poor seed yields per se. However, the hybrids between the Chinese parents and the adapted spring rapeseed lines exhibited high heterosis for seed yield. The average mid-parent heterosis was 15% and ca. 50% of the hybrids were superior to the respective hybrid control across three sets of field trials. Additive gene effects mainly contributed to hybrid performance since the mean squares of GCA were higher as compared to SCA. The correlation between parental GD and hybrid performance and heterosis was found to be low whereas the correlation between GCA_{(f + m)} and hybrid performance was high and significant in each set of field trials, with an average of r = 0.87 for seed yield and r = 0.89 for oil content, indicating that hybrid performance can be predicted by GCA_{(f + m)}. These results demonstrate that Chinese semi-winter rapeseed germplasm has a great potential to increase seed yield in spring rapeseed hybrid breeding programs in Canada and Europe.     

Identification of Indica rice chromosome segments for the improvement of Japonica inbreds and hybrids

Exploitation of heterosis has brought significant advance in plant breeding and agricultural production, although its genetic basis is still poorly understood. In this study, a total of 66 chromosome segment substitution (CSS) lines, derived from a cross between japonica rice inbred line Asominori (as the recurrent parent) and indica rice inbred line IR24 (as the donor parent), were used to investigate the genetic basis of heterosis in indica × japonica inter-subspecific rice hybrids. Each CSS line was crossed with the background parent Asominori, and the heterosis of F(1) hybrids was estimated by comparing the F(1) performance with its two parental lines. Field experiments were carried out across six different environments to evaluate yield and yield-related traits in the 66 CSS lines and their 66 corresponding F(1) hybrids. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses were conducted using a likelihood ratio test based on the stepwise regression. Thirty-six QTL were identified with significant effects in CSSL, 21 with significant effects in hybrids and 13 with significant effects in both. On the basis of average dominance degree, of all the 70 QTL affecting yield-related agronomic traits, 28.6% (20) showed an overdominance, 35.7% (25) a partial dominance and 30% (21) an additive effect, indicating that all effects contribute to trait variation in japonica-indica rice hybrids. Effects of these QTL were examined to identify Indica rice chromosome segments of interest for the improvement of japonica inbred lines and hybrids.     

Evaluation of genetic diversity of parental lines for development of heterotic groups in hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Knowledge of genetic diversity and potential heterotic relationships among parental lines is of significant importance in hybrid rice breeding programs. In the present study, in order to understand the genetic diversity among 96 parental lines, they were characterized for their diversity with respect to their morphological traits (n?=?12) and molecular markers using a set of 50 SSR markers. Morphological diversity was estimated using Mahalanobis D² statistics in terms of generalized group distance. Based on morphological diversity analysis, the 96 lines were grouped into 5 major and 13 monogenotypic clusters. In molecular marker analysis, the parental lines were consistently clustered into B (Maintainer group) and R (Restorer group) groups based on distance and model based approaches. Strong correspondence was observed between the pedigree of parental lines with molecular genotyping based grouping than morphological trait based grouping. From the results of the present investigation, it is evident that the available diversity among the two groups i.e., maintainer group (B) and restorer group (R) is sufficient for developing heterotic hybrids, but within the maintainer and restorer groups, the diversity is limited, the diversity among restorers was moderate, while it was low among the maintainers and hence efforts are needed for broadening their genetic base of parental lines for development and adoption of high-yielding hybrids.

     

Progress in research and development on hybrid rice: a super-domesticate in China

BACKGROUND: China has been successful in breeding hybrid rice strains, but is now facing challenges to develop new hybrids with high-yielding potential, better grain quality, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. This paper reviews the most significant advances in hybrid rice breeding in China, and presents a recent study on fine-mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield traits. SCOPE: By exploiting new types of male sterility, hybrid rice production in China has become more diversified. The use of inter-subspecies crosses has made an additional contribution to broadening the genetic diversity of hybrid rice and played an important role in the breeding of super rice hybrids in China. With the development and application of indica-inclined and japonica-inclined parental lines, new rice hybrids with super high-yielding potential have been developed and are being grown on a large scale. DNA markers for subspecies differentiation have been identified and applied, and marker-assisted selection performed for the development of restorer lines carrying disease resistance genes. The genetic basis of heterosis in highly heterotic hybrids has been studied, but data from these studies are insufficient to draw sound conclusions. In a QTL study using stepwise residual heterozygous lines, two linked intervals harbouring QTLs for yield traits were resolved, one of which was delimited to a 125-kb region. CONCLUSIONS: Advances in rice genomic research have shed new light on the genetic study and germplasm utilization in rice. Molecular marker-assisted selection is a powerful tool to increase breeding efficiency, but much work remains to be done before this technique can be extended from major genes to QTLs.     

Extending the rapeseed gene pool with resynthesized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> II: Heterosis

Hybrid breeding relies on the combination of parents from two differing heterotic groups. However, the genetic diversity in adapted oilseed rape breeding material is rather limited. Therefore, the use of resynthesized Brassica napus as a distant gene pool was investigated. Hybrids were derived from crosses between 44 resynthesized lines with a diverse genetic background and two male sterile winter oilseed rape tester lines. The hybrids were evaluated together with their parents and check cultivars in 2 years and five locations in Germany. Yield, plant height, seed oil, and protein content were monitored, and genetic distances were estimated with molecular markers (127 polymorphic RFLP fragments). Resynthesized lines varied in yield between 40.9 dt/ha and 21.5 dt/ha, or between 85.1 and 44.6% of check cultivar yields. Relative to check cultivars, hybrids varied from 91.6 to 116.6% in yield and from 94.5 to 103.3% in seed oil content. Mid-parent heterosis varied from −3.5 to 47.2% for yield. The genetic distance of parental lines was not significantly correlated with heterosis or hybrid yield. Although resynthesized lines do not meet the elite rapeseed standards, they are a valuable source for hybrid breeding due to their large distance from present breeding material and their high heterosis when combined with European winter oilseed rape.     

8个合成群体改良玉米杂交种郑单958的育种潜力分析

玉米群体含有有利等位基因, 可作为改良杂交种的优异种质。针对持续改良我国主要玉米杂交种郑单958产量性状和商品品质的需求, 文章以8个合成群体为供体, 郑单958亲本自交系为受体, 组配16个测交组合。2009和2010年分别在北京顺义和河南新乡测量产量和籽粒容重。4个遗传参数评价显示, 合成群体可以作为新的有利等位基因供体改良杂交种性状, 其中WBMC-4和陕综3号两个群体具有同时改良杂交种产量和籽粒容重的潜力, 可分别用于改良亲本自交系郑58和昌7-2, 以及拓宽我国主要玉米类群PA和四平头的种质基础。     

用微卫星DNA标记对我国杂交水稻主要恢复系遗传差异的检测分析

选用分布于水稻（Oryza sativaL.)12条染色体上的25对SSR（Simple sequence repeats)引物,分析了生产中广泛应用的35个杂交 水稻恢复系,在35个杂交水稻恢复系材料间共检测出65个等位基因（alleles),平均每对SSR引物可检测到2.6个等位基因,PIC（Polymorphism index content）值的变动范围为0.206-0.682,平均值为0.414。聚类分析表明,我国杂交 水稻恢复系资源比较丰富,但其遗传差异较小,遗传背景单一,从而在很大程度上限制了我国水稻杂种优势的利用。     

杂交稻特殊配合力与杂种优势、亲本间遗传距离的相 关性

杂交水稻育种的实质是配合力育种, 筛选高特殊配合力的杂交水稻组合才能选育出在生产上有实用价值的强优势组合。文章利用SSR标记检测了9个三系杂交稻亲本(5个不育系和4个恢复系)之间的遗传距离, 结合20个杂交稻组合(5×4 NCII)的产量表现, 分析了杂交水稻特殊配合力(Special combining ability, SCA)效应与产量杂种优势、亲本间遗传距离的相关性。结果表明, 特殊配合力效应与对照优势(相关系数r₁=0.5609)、平均优势(相关系数_r2=0.541)之间均呈显著正相关, 而与亲本遗传距离之间相关不显著, 相关系数(r=0.2143)较小。说明本研究所配组合的特殊配合力效应能充分反映杂种优势, 选用的杂交亲本能组配出强优势组合; 而杂交亲本遗传距离的大小并不能反映特殊配合力效应, 分子标记遗传距离与特殊配合力的相关性还有待于进一步的探讨。     

Hybrid wheat: quantitative genetic parameters and consequences for the design of breeding programs

Key message

Commercial heterosis for grain yield is present in hybrid wheat but long-term competiveness of hybrid versus line breeding depends on the development of heterotic groups to improve hybrid prediction.

Abstract

Detailed knowledge of the amount of heterosis and quantitative genetic parameters are of paramount importance to assess the potential of hybrid breeding. Our objectives were to (1) examine the extent of midparent, better-parent and commercial heterosis in a vast population of 1,604 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) hybrids and their parental elite inbred lines and (2) discuss the consequences of relevant quantitative parameters for the design of hybrid wheat breeding programs. Fifteen male lines were crossed in a factorial mating design with 120 female lines, resulting in 1,604 of the 1,800 potential single-cross hybrid combinations. The hybrids, their parents, and ten commercial wheat varieties were evaluated in multi-location field experiments for grain yield, plant height, heading time and susceptibility to frost, lodging, septoria tritici blotch, yellow rust, leaf rust, and powdery mildew at up to five locations. We observed that hybrids were superior to the mean of their parents for grain yield (10.7 %) and susceptibility to frost (?7.2 %), leaf rust (?8.4 %) and septoria tritici blotch (?9.3 %). Moreover, 69 hybrids significantly (P < 0.05) outyielded the best commercial inbred line variety underlining the potential of hybrid wheat breeding. The estimated quantitative genetic parameters suggest that the establishment of reciprocal recurrent selection programs is pivotal for a successful long-term hybrid wheat breeding.     

中籼杂交水稻亲本多态性的AFLP分析

对15个籼型杂交水稻亲本进行AFLP分析,结果表明：亲本间遗传距离小,在0.0589-0.3305之间,平均为0.2033。15个亲本按类平均法可聚为两类,Ⅰ类为不育系,Ⅱ类为恢复系。其中Ⅱ类又分为两个亚类,Ⅱ－1不含明恢63血缘、Ⅱ－2全部含明恢63血缘。Ⅰ/Ⅱ－1与Ⅰ/Ⅱ－2间的遗传距离无明显差异,揭示恢复系的遗传基础较一致,这可能是当前的品种不能超过籼优63的重要原因之一。要提高水稻的杂种优势,需丰富亲本的遗传基础,扩大其遗传差异。     

The use of SSRs for predicting the hybrid yield and yield heterosis in 15 key inbred lines of Chinese maize

A challenge to maize breeders is to predict and identify inbred lines that can produce highly heterotic hybrids precisely. In the present study we surveyed the genetic diversity among 15 elite inbred lines of maize in China with SSR markers and assessed the relationship between SSR marker and hybrid yield/yield heterosis in a diallel set of 105 crosses. Forty-three SSR primers selected from all sixty-three primers gave stable profiles amplified in the sample of 15 inbred lines, which could clearly resolve on 4% metaphor agarose gel. The average number of alleles per SSR locus was 4.44 with a range from 2 to 9. The polymorphism information content (PIC) for the SSR loci varied from 0.28 to 0.81 with a mean of 0.6281. Genetic similarity (GS) among 15 lines was estimated with 191 alleles identified as raw data, the Nei's coefficient of GS ranged from 0.492 for 478 vs HZ4 up to 0.745 for E28 to ZH64 with a mean of 0.619. The cluster diagram based upon the SSR data grouped the 15 lines into families consistent with the yield heterotic response of these. Genetic distance (GD) based on SSR data was significantly correlated with hybrid yield/yield heterosis, the correlation coefficient (r) being 0.5432 and 0.4271 in 1999 and 0.4305 and 0.3614 in 1998 field test, respectively, whereas the determination coefficient (r2) was lower. The correlation between GD based on SSR data and hybrid yield/yield heterosis changed alone with the difference of number and pedigree relationship among parents that were used in this study. SSR makers showed high polymorphism and could be used to assess the relationship between inbred lines of maize, but it was difficult to predict the yield heterosis of maize.