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

Giardini Naxos, Italy - 18/21 September, 2002

ISBN 88-900622-3-1

Oral Communication Abstract - S1d

DIFFERENTIATION OF SPONTANEOUS MUTANT AND SELECTED CLONES BY MORPHOLOGICAL AND AFLP MARKERS IN VITIS

FANIZZA G., CHAABANE R., RESTA P.

DIBCA: Sezione di Genetica e Miglioramento Genetica, Università di Bari

molecular marker, clones, off-type grapevine, table grape

The discrimination of grapevine clones (Vitis vinifera), important for germplasm maintenance, breeding and certification purposes, have given contrasting results attributable to different causes and, in particular, to the unknown origin of clones. There is no clear evidence on the origin of a clone within a variety because most sports are not reported until selective pruning and propagation have isolated them. This research has been carried out to evaluate the possibility to differentiate grapevine clones by molecular markers (AFLP) analyzing materials derived from a known mutation and from clonal selection. An identified off-type grapevine, which presents a mutated branch and a normal one on the same plant, allows to remove any doubt on the origin of a new clone and to get a better evaluation of the suitability of AFLP for the differentiation of grape clones. AFLPs were used as molecular markers because a large number of loci can be screened in a single assay, which is useful for any study on genotype relationships when a large number of bands (variables) is required. Of the 49 primer combinations used, 3880 scorable AFLP bands were obtained but none of these show any AFLP polymorphism among clones. Nevertheless it is suggested the use of both AFLP and morphological markers for the differentiation of grapevine clones. The AFLPs would give a preliminary indication on suspected clones while morphological characters would allow to verify, through appropriate field experimental designs, the reliability of the phenotypic differences detected among grape clones.