Proceedings of the XLV Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics - SIGA Annual Congress

Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy - 26/29 September, 2001

ISBN 88-900622-1-5

Poster Abstract

MOLECULAR DIVERSITY IN WALNUT (JUGLANS REGIA L.) ESTIMATED THROUGH AFLP AND SSR MARKERS

ANDREAKIS N.*, PICCIRILLO P.**, WOESTE K.***, MONTI LM.*

* Dipartimento di Scienze Agronomiche e Genetica Vegetale Università di Napoli, Portici

** Istituto Sperimentale per la Frutticoltura of Caserta

*** Hardwood tree improvement and regeneration center Purdue University

andreaki@unina.it

genetic distance, variety identification

The genus Juglans of the family Juglandaceae contains about 20 monoecious tree species all producing edible nuts. Among those, the English or Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) is the most widely cultivated species in Italy since the earliest times. Although economically important for fruit and wood production, varieties and ecotypes spreed in the southern Italy are often of doubtful origin, frequently propagated by seedlings and poorly genetically characterized. This is the case of the “Sorrento” which in the course of the years have been reproduced both vegetatively and sexually giving origin to population of closely related clones not always distinguishable through morphological markers.

Here the molecular fingerprints performed through AFLP and SSR markers of Juglans regia L. varieties and accessions is reported. A large number of "Sorrento" walnut plants, originated both from seeds and from vegetative propagation were analyzed in comparison with different walnut varieties. The evidenced polymorphysm was used to monitor the genetic distances between genotypes and to identify variety specific markers.