GENETIC DIVERSITY IN ANCIENT FRUIT TREE GERMPLASM FROM SOUTHERN ITALY

Italian fruit tree genetic heritage is rich and strongly linked to the traditions of the territory. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity and relationship of a set of 64 old Malus domestica, Pyrus communis, Prunus domestica and Prunus persica local cultivars from southern Italian regions (Campania, Calabria and Basilicata), potentially suited for re-introduction into niche markets. Sixteen apple and 18 peach derived microsatellite (SSR) primer pairs were used to characterize apple-pear and peach-plum accessions. Most of the apple-derived SSRs were successfully transferred to pear, while only 11 out of 18 peach-derived SSRs gave amplification in plum cultivars. The number of alleles per primer pair ranged 2 to 11 in diploid species and 4 to 19 in the hexaploid P. domestica. 62 genotypes showed a unique fingerprint. Mean observed heterozygosity ranged between 0.39 (peach) and 0.9 in (plum); mean F-index values indicated significant inbreeding levels. Plum and peach UPGMA dendrograms clustered according to geographic distribution, while apple and pear showed more complex organization.