MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW BLACK CURRANT CULTIVARS BRED IN ROMANIA EXPOSED TO CHANGING CLIMATE CONDITIONS

Several new black currant obtained by Station of Fruit Research from Cluj- Napoca as ‘Amurg’, ‘Tiben’, ‘Tisel’ and ‘Perla neagra’, described as tolerant to cold or drought conditions have been characterized by molecular markers. SSR markers developed with pchgm 12, pchgm 24, UDP98-406, UDP98-411 and BGT 23 primers were used for cultivar discrimination and several RAPD and SCAR markers associated with the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were used for cultivars characterization. Some of the RAPD markers generated with the primers OPB-12, OPG-16, OPI-14, OPI-20, OPK-06, OPK-20, OPL-03, OPP-17 and OPP-19 reported previously in Brassica rapa as well as SCAR markers as A1, L and D2 previously described in soybean were identified in black currant cultivars. These markers are valuable tools either for cultivars discrimination or rapid screening of valuable cultivars producing PUFA.