1 1 Genetic diversity analysis in indigenous rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm for Bacterial Leaf Blight 2 (Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae) using resistance genes linked markers 3 4 Khannetah, K. R . 1 , Ramchander, 2 Andrew Peter Leon, M. T 1 , Shoba, D 1 , Saravanan, S 1 , Kannan, R 1 , 5 Jeshima Khan Yasin 3 and Madhavan Arumugam Pillai 1* 6 7 1 Miss. Khannetah, K.R, Ph.D Scholar, 8 Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Vallanadu, Thoothukudi dt, Tamil Nadu - 9 628 252, India Khannetah19@gmail.com 10 2 Dr.S Ramchander, Visiting Scientist (IRRI South Asia Hub) and National Post Doctoral Fellow 11 (SERB), 12 ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad 13 E mail: rubulochander_009@yahoo.co.in, srkamal.ram@gmail.com 14 1 Dr. Andrew Peter Leon, M. T, Ph.D Scholar, 15 Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Vallanadu, Thoothukudi dt, 16 Tamilnadu – 628 252, India mandrewt@gmail.com 17 1 Dr. Shoba, D, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, 18 Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Vallanadu, Thoothukudi dt, 19 Tamil Nadu - 628 252 India; shobatnau@gmail.com 20 1 Dr. Saravanan, Shanmughavel, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, 21 Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Vallanadu, Thoothukudi dt, Tamil Nadu - 22 628 252 India; sarapbg@gmail.com 23 Dr. Kannan, R , Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, 24 Agricultural College and research Institute, Killikulam, Vallanadu, Thoothukudi dt, 25 Tamil Nadu - 628 252 India; kannanar2004@gmail.com 26 3 Dr. Jeshima Khan Yasin , 27 Scientist, Division of Genomic resources, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, PUSA 28 campus, New Delhi- 110012; yasinlab.icar@gmail.com; Yasin.Jeshima@icar.gov.in;