Cytoembryological and morphometric characteristics of some Armenian grape cultivars

Abstract

Introduction: The conservation and phenotypic characterization of Armenian grapevine gene pool is the basis for its application in future breeding programs. The cytoembryological analysis and the phenotypic characterization of grapevine male and female gametophytes and of early developed embryos could improve the understanding of genetic mechanisms involved at different stages of reproductive development (PRATT 1971, MULLINS et al. 1992, FERNANDES et al. 2007, NEBISH 2012). Flowering and berry set are important stages of grapevine development, and they could also affect the yield quantity and quality (LONGBOTTOM 2007). Grapevine cultivars are highly heterozygous. They show a large variation in inflorescence size, berry size, shape, weight and colour depending on genotypes and environmental conditions (THIS et al. 2006, CARMONA et al. 2008). The aim of our study was the phenotypic characterization of some Armenian grape cultivars by cytoembryological and carpological analysis. Material and Methods: Ten accessions of Armenian grapevines were analysed including: 5 Vitis vinifera L. cultivars (authochthonous 'Mskhali', 'Garan dmak' and clone of 'Ararati' cultivars, 'Tokun' open pollination of 'Spitak Arakseni', 'Muscat haykakan' open pollination of 'Muscat cherniy'); 3 intraspecific hyvrids ('Berkanush', 'Parvana' and 'Erebuni') and 2 V. vinifera x V. amurensis interspecific hybrids ('Charentsi' and 'Meghrabuyr'). All the accessions were grown in the same collection of the Scientific Center of Viticulture, Fruit-Growing and Wine-Making (Merdzavan, Armenia). In 2013 flowers for cyto-embryological analysis of microand macro-gametophyte, and ripe berries for morphometric studies were collected. For estimation of pollen fertility the acetocarmine staining method have been used. Pollen sterility data were obtained based on the analysis of about 5000 pollen grains for each accession. Concerning cytoembryological investigations, fixation in FAA fixative (formaldehyde – acetic acid – ethanol) were applied. Material was then stained by Mayer's hematoxylin and eosin (HE 1997) by the ImageJ software. Statistical analysis of data was carried out using Student's t-test and 5 % probability was considered significant.