Genetic Diversity of Armenian Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) Germplasm: Molecular Characterization and Parentage Analysis

Biology

Franco Röckel¹  Erika Maul¹  Reinhard Töpfer¹  Kristine Margaryan²  Gagik Melyan³ 

[1] Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof, 76833 Siebeldingen, Germany;Research Group of Plant Genetics and Immunology, Institute of Molecular Biology of National Academy of Sciences RA, Yerevan 0014, Armenia;Voskehat Educational and Research Center of Enology, Branch of Armenian National Agrarian University, Merdzavan 1139, Armavir Province, Armenia;

关键词: grapevine;    Vitis vinifera;    Armenia;    genetic diversity;    parentage analysis;    nSSR markers;   

DOI  :  10.3390/biology10121279

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Armenia is an important country of origin of cultivated Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera and wild Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris and has played a key role in the long history of grape cultivation in the Southern Caucasus. The existence of immense grapevine biodiversity in a small territory is strongly linked with unique relief and diverse climate conditions assembled with millennium-lasting cultural and historical context. In the present in-depth study using 25 nSSR markers, 492 samples collected in old vineyards, home gardens, and private collections were genotyped. For verification of cultivar identity, the symbiotic approach combining genotypic and phenotypic characterization for each genotype was carried out. The study provided 221 unique varieties, including 5 mutants, from which 66 were widely grown, neglected or minor autochthonous grapevine varieties, 49 turned out to be new bred cultivars created within the national breeding programs mainly during Soviet Era and 34 were non-Armenian varieties with different countries of origin. No references and corresponding genetic profiles existed for 67 genotypes. Parentage analysis was performed inferring 62 trios with 53 out of them having not been previously reported and 185 half-kinships. Instability of grapevine cultivars was detected, showing allelic variants, with three and in rare cases four alleles at one loci. Obtained results have great importance and revealed that Armenia conserved an extensive grape genetic diversity despite geographical isolation and low material exchange. This gene pool richness represents a huge reservoir of under-explored genetic diversity.

【 授权许可】

Unknown