There are numerous soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] breeding programs in Europe focused on development of elite non genetically modified (GM) cultivars for fast growing market of GM-free proteins for animal feed. Due to low variability of visual descriptors and mostly unknown pedigrees, divergent parents’ selection for crosses is a great challenge. Another challenge is cultivar distinction and protection of plant breeders’ rights of ever-increasing number of cultivars. By using 42 microsatellite (SSR) markers, we performed characterization of 97 commercial soybean cultivars and experimental lines developed at various research and breeding institutions in Europe (86) and in North and South America (11) in order to assess their genotype distinction power as well as utility for estimating genetic diversity and genetic structure. A set of 27 most polymorphic SSR markers was sufficient to discriminate all 97 genotypes. Discrimination of, by pedigree very related cultivars, was somewhat difficult due to the low polymorphism but still possible. Cluster analysis showed that European germplasm is mainly distributed into clusters reflecting breeding programs and maturity groups. Performed genetic characterization provides an insight into genetic structure of European soybean germplasm and might serve as a starting point for future breeding decisions. Disclosed SSR data of the analyzed commercial European germplasm can serve for genetic fingerprinting purpose as well as for foundation of public soybean cultivar database.

有很多大豆[ Glycine max欧洲的（L.）Merr。]育种计划着重于开发非转基因（GM）优良品种，以快速增长用于动物饲料的不含转基因蛋白质的市场。由于视觉描述符的变异性较低，而且血统大多为未知谱系，因此不同父母对杂交的选择是一个巨大的挑战。另一个挑战是品种的区分和对越来越多品种的植物育种者权利的保护。通过使用42个微卫星（SSR）标记，我们对欧洲（86）和北美和南美（11）的各种研究和育种机构开发的97个商品大豆品种和实验品系进行了鉴定，以评估它们的基因型区分力为以及估算遗传多样性和遗传结构的实用程序。一组27种最具多态性的SSR标记足以区分所有97个基因型。由于低多态性，通过血统非常相关的品种进行鉴别有些困难，但仍然可能。聚类分析表明，欧洲种质主要分布在反映育种计划和成熟群体的聚类中。进行的遗传表征可以深入了解欧洲大豆种质的遗传结构，并可以作为未来育种决策的起点。分析的欧洲商业种质的SSR数据可用于遗传指纹分析，也可用于建立公共大豆品种数据库。聚类分析表明，欧洲种质主要分布在反映育种计划和成熟群体的聚类中。进行的遗传表征提供了对欧洲大豆种质遗传结构的深入了解，并可能作为未来育种决策的起点。分析的欧洲商业种质的SSR数据可用于遗传指纹分析，也可用于建立公共大豆品种数据库。聚类分析表明，欧洲种质主要分布在反映育种计划和成熟群体的聚类中。进行的遗传表征可以深入了解欧洲大豆种质的遗传结构，并可以作为未来育种决策的起点。分析的欧洲商业种质的SSR数据可用于基因指纹分析和建立公共大豆品种数据库。