Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy
The <i>Prunus</i> genus encompasses a group of economically important and closely related crops, sharing an essentially common genome and, thereby, a high level of conserved and transferable microsatellite (SSR) loci. In Southern Italy, many of the local and/or neglected varieties are ab...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/6/1279 |
| _version_ | 1797609421405159424 |
|---|---|
| author | Michele Antonio Savoia Loredana Del Faro Andrea Turco Valentina Fanelli Pasquale Venerito Cinzia Montemurro Wilma Sabetta |
| author_facet | Michele Antonio Savoia Loredana Del Faro Andrea Turco Valentina Fanelli Pasquale Venerito Cinzia Montemurro Wilma Sabetta |
| author_sort | Michele Antonio Savoia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The <i>Prunus</i> genus encompasses a group of economically important and closely related crops, sharing an essentially common genome and, thereby, a high level of conserved and transferable microsatellite (SSR) loci. In Southern Italy, many of the local and/or neglected varieties are abandoned and at risk of extinction due to the high degree of urbanization and agricultural intensification, despite their value as genetic resources for crop improvement. This research aimed to genetically and morphologically characterize the traditional apricot (<i>P. armenica</i>) and peach (<i>P. persica</i>) germplasms collected in old family orchards. Most of the official descriptor categories were scored, thus revealing a rather high level of phenotypic variation in both collections. Genetic data allowed the discovery of diversity masked by morphological traits. Genotyping in 15 and 18 SSRs, eight of which were transferable across both species, showed an average polymorphic informativeness (PIC) of 0.44 and 0.59 for apricot and peach, respectively, and a total of 70 and 144 alleles. A reliable identification of each genotype was achieved, and the presence of possible mislabeling and/or erroneous denominations was solved. These results are encouraging for the valorization of the still poorly explored Italian <i>Prunus</i> germplasm, with significant economic consequences for bioresource conservation and management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:00:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55a4371b56d04f99b19460976172a6f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:00:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-55a4371b56d04f99b19460976172a6f62023-11-17T13:21:38ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-03-01126127910.3390/plants12061279Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern ItalyMichele Antonio Savoia0Loredana Del Faro1Andrea Turco2Valentina Fanelli3Pasquale Venerito4Cinzia Montemurro5Wilma Sabetta6Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, ItalyCRSFA-Centro Ricerca, Sperimentazione e Formazione in Agricoltura “Basile Caramia”, Via Cisternino 281, 70010 Locorotondo, ItalyCRSFA-Centro Ricerca, Sperimentazione e Formazione in Agricoltura “Basile Caramia”, Via Cisternino 281, 70010 Locorotondo, ItalyDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, ItalyCRSFA-Centro Ricerca, Sperimentazione e Formazione in Agricoltura “Basile Caramia”, Via Cisternino 281, 70010 Locorotondo, ItalyDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, ItalySpin Off Sinagri s.r.l., University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, ItalyThe <i>Prunus</i> genus encompasses a group of economically important and closely related crops, sharing an essentially common genome and, thereby, a high level of conserved and transferable microsatellite (SSR) loci. In Southern Italy, many of the local and/or neglected varieties are abandoned and at risk of extinction due to the high degree of urbanization and agricultural intensification, despite their value as genetic resources for crop improvement. This research aimed to genetically and morphologically characterize the traditional apricot (<i>P. armenica</i>) and peach (<i>P. persica</i>) germplasms collected in old family orchards. Most of the official descriptor categories were scored, thus revealing a rather high level of phenotypic variation in both collections. Genetic data allowed the discovery of diversity masked by morphological traits. Genotyping in 15 and 18 SSRs, eight of which were transferable across both species, showed an average polymorphic informativeness (PIC) of 0.44 and 0.59 for apricot and peach, respectively, and a total of 70 and 144 alleles. A reliable identification of each genotype was achieved, and the presence of possible mislabeling and/or erroneous denominations was solved. These results are encouraging for the valorization of the still poorly explored Italian <i>Prunus</i> germplasm, with significant economic consequences for bioresource conservation and management.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/6/1279<i>Prunus</i> specieslocal biodiversitymicrosatellite transferabilitygenetic and phenotypic characterizations |
| spellingShingle | Michele Antonio Savoia Loredana Del Faro Andrea Turco Valentina Fanelli Pasquale Venerito Cinzia Montemurro Wilma Sabetta Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy Plants <i>Prunus</i> species local biodiversity microsatellite transferability genetic and phenotypic characterizations |
| title | Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy |
| title_full | Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy |
| title_fullStr | Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy |
| title_short | Biodiversity Evaluation and Preservation of Italian Stone Fruit Germplasm (Peach and Apricot) in Southern Italy |
| title_sort | biodiversity evaluation and preservation of italian stone fruit germplasm peach and apricot in southern italy |
| topic | <i>Prunus</i> species local biodiversity microsatellite transferability genetic and phenotypic characterizations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/6/1279 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT micheleantoniosavoia biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly AT loredanadelfaro biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly AT andreaturco biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly AT valentinafanelli biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly AT pasqualevenerito biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly AT cinziamontemurro biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly AT wilmasabetta biodiversityevaluationandpreservationofitalianstonefruitgermplasmpeachandapricotinsouthernitaly |