Abstract
The genetic diversity and relationship between wild (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmel.) Hegi and cultivated (V. vinifera L. subsp. vinifera) grapevine in the western Balkan region and Central Europe have not been studied together previously, although this area has a rich viticultural past. Here, we studied wild grapevine populations sampled from their natural habitats in several countries of the western Balkan region and Central Europe. Their genetic diversity and structure were compared to cultivars that are traditionally in use in this region. A sample set of 243 accessions was genotyped at 20 nuclear microsatellite loci, including 167 sylvestris and 76 diverse vinifera cultivars. The genetic diversity of the wild grapevines was lower than that of cultivars by all genetic parameters. Both hierarchical and nonhierarchical clustering methods differentiated two main groups, indicating clear separation between wild and cultivated vines but also revealed clear gene flow between the cultivated and wild gene pools through overlaps and admixed ancestry values in the graphs. There was greater affinity to the wild grapes in Central European cultivars than in Balkan cultivars. Fine arrangement of the structure among cultivated grapevines showed differentiation among Central European and Balkan cultivars. These results confirm the divergence of wild grapes from vinifera and highlight the “crossroad” role of the western Balkan peninsula in the broader context of European viticulture.
Highlights
Wild grape (V. v. subsp. sylvestris) is a close relative of the cultivated grapevine (V. v. subsp. vinifera) and the only endemic taxon within the Vitaceae family in Europe [1]
This study demonstrated that populations of wild grapes are highly fragmented into small, isolated populations that represent valuable genetic resources
Despite strict selection of pure sylvestris and a considerably smaller set of vinifera cultivars included in analysis, all statistical and phylogenetic methods showed high assignment of vinifera to vinifera and sylvestris to sylvestris clusters, but always with visible overlaps between the groups
Summary
Wild grape (V. v. subsp. sylvestris) is a close relative of the cultivated grapevine (V. v. subsp. vinifera) and the only endemic taxon within the Vitaceae family in Europe [1]. Research on wild grape intensified at the begining of the 21st century concurrenty with improvement in molecular identification methods, with the primary goals of conserving its biodiversity, clarifying its taxonomic status and identifying traits of interest for grapevine breeding. The natural habitats and populations of wild grapes stretch from the Atlantic coast to the western Himalayas and from the Rhine valley to Tunisia [6,7], coexisting with cultivated varieties [1]. Wild grapes have dioecious male and female plants, while cultivated varieties are mostly hermaphrodites. As the proposed ancestor of cultivated grape, underwent the dramatic change from dioecy to hermaphroditism is a primary hypothesis regarding grapevine domestication, and one of the most debated [11,12]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
