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

Verona, Italy - 24/27 September, 2003

ISBN 88-900622-4-X

Poster Abstract - 3.05

ANALYSIS OF SICILIAN GERMPLASM OF HELICRYSUM GENUS USING AFLP MARKERS

G. M. ABBATE*, C. AGRIMONTI**, A. SCIALABBA*, N. MARMIROLI**

*) Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Università degli Studi di Palermo

**) Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Parma

Helichrysum, taxonomy, molecular markers, AFLPs

Helichrysum is a wild shrub that grows in arid areas, in stony ground, on scarps and it requires sun exposition. The drug, prepared from the characteristic gold capitulums, displays several well known pharmacological properties (antinflammatory, antiallergic, antipsoriasic) but at present it is only employed in cosmetic field.

This genus, that is widespread throughout Mediterranean area, in Sicily is represented by the following species: H.italicum; H.stoechas; H.nebrodense; H.hyblaeum; H.scandens; H.siculum; H.litoreum and H.rupestre with the varieties rupestre, messerii, pendulum and errerae. For some taxa, mostly ascribable to the H. rupestre group, is difficult to establish the exact taxonomic position; this is due to the variability of distinctive morphologic traits, that involves a wide phytochemistry variability, too.

The analysis of DNA sequences as molecular markers, is an efficient method to escort the traditional taxonomy. For this purpose, AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms) have been reported as a suitable tool for analysis of genetic diversity in different species.

In this work AFLP were used to assess the taxonomic position of some populations of sicilian Helichrysum whose classification is uncertain.

The populations were collected from several areas of Sicily and surrounding islands.

To store this material, the seeds were collected at “Banca del germoplasma” of “Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche” of University of Palermo. Moreover, to propagate the populations collected, from each sample were prepared scions and and in vitro culture. Further, DNA was prepared from collected material to perform AFLP technology. The analysis of profiles obtained is still in progress.