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

Giardini Naxos, Italy - 18/21 September, 2002

ISBN 88-900622-3-1

Poster Abstract - 1.11

CHARACTERISATION OF OLIVE GERMPLASM FROM LAZIO BY RAPD MARKERS

LOMBARDO N., MUZZALUPO I., PARLATI M.V., PELLEGRINO M., PERRI E.

Istituto Sperimentale per l’Olivicoltura, C.da Li Rocchi, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy

olive, Olea europaea L., DNA, RAPD, Lazio

The increasing dependence on newer crop varieties and erosion of traditional germplasm have partly determined the need to look for alternative sources of material to increase food production and improve food quality. This has increased the role of traditional or folk varieties also for breeding purposes. The olive germplasm is still not so recognized. Even the number of elaiographical and biometrical studies relating to olive germplasm, is relatively small. Therefore, the number of olive varieties is uncertain while some cases of synonymy and/or homonymy may exist. In order to characterise the olive germplasm many advantages can be derived from the study of DNA polymorphisms, as compared to classification methods based simply on morphological criteria or on isoenzymes. Recently, in Italy, many research projects based on the regional scale are advanced. This paper presents the preliminary results of an experiment whose aim is to evaluate the extent to which RAPD analysis was able to obtain the characterisation and identification of olive varieties cultivated in Lazio (Italy). The samples of leaves were collected from the germplasm collection of the Istituto Sperimentale per l'Olivicoltura in Rende (CS) or from olive cutting just before their propagation. RAPDs-fingerprinting was used to differentiate 50 olive genotypes belonging to 28 italian olive cultivars. Forty random decamer primers were screened for PCR amplifications; 389 reproducible amplification fragments were used as polymorphic markers. The number of markers per primer ranged from 1 to 20, and the dimensions from 300 to 2700 base pairs. Data generated by RAPD analysis were analized using the Dice similarity index. The similarity ranged from 0.32, for Moraiolo and Rosciola, and 0.98 for Itrana Raino II and Itrana Vallequercia. High level of polymorphism were observed amongst the different genotypes, except Itrana and Carboncella clones, and Frantoio family (Frantoio, Procanica, Raia Sabina, Reale, Nostrale Fiano Romano). The identification of all the genotypes may be accomplished using only three primers (e.g., OPA16‑OPAH16‑OPF13; OPA16‑OPF12‑OPAI16 or OPAH16‑OPP1‑OPAI08). The genetic diversity within olive germplasm cultivated in Lazio is almost wide then justifying the need to protect and collect the traditional and folk varieties.