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

GENETIC FINGERPRINTING OF A COWPEA LANDRACE FOR THE REQUEST OF PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN (PDO)

POLEGRI L., TAVIANI P., NEGRI V.

Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale e Biotecnologie Agroambientali, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy

vnegri@unipg.it

landraces, genetic fingerprinting, AFLP, on farm conservation

In order to assess the possibility of certifying genetic identity of a peculiar landrace for which a protected designation of origin (PDO) mark is requested, an investigation by molecular markers is needed.

Twenty one accessions of Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata (L.) Walp. were examined. They included the landrace for which PDO is being requested (belonging to Trasimeno lake area), seven landraces from different Italian regions, seven commercial varieties found on the Italian market, four landraces from Africa and Asia (Nigeria, Syria, India and Egypt), one landrace belonging to cv. gr. Sesquipedalis. A wild population from Nigeria belonging to subsp. dekindtiana, that is the nearest wild relative of subsp. unguiculata, was also studied. Molecular analysis was carried out on bulked DNA of each accession. To do so, 7 AFLP primer combinations were used. The percentage of total polymorphisms detected was equal to 51.5%. Each population showed an unique pattern of polymorphism. Jaccard similarity index identified a large group composed by Italian landraces and commercial varieties. Foreigner landraces, instead, clustered separately. Alongside the main group the Trasimeno landrace of interest was distinguished from all local market varieties analysed. The results demonstrate the possibility to use molecular markers such as AFLP to discriminate between landraces and commercial varieties, so to help in requesting the PDO mark. In this way on farm conservation is prized by increasing marketing possibility for those landraces owing peculiar characteristics.