Genotyping and phenotyping of twenty old traditional Greek grapevine varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) from Eastern and Western Greece

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the wine companies focus on minor traditional Greek grapevine cultivars. The polyclonal synthesis and the significant number of synonyms of these old varieties make the selection of the representative sample difficult, even in ampelographic collections. The aim of this study was the identification and discrimination of twenty minor wine grape varieties using the combination of the ampelographic description and the molecular method AFLP. The results from the statistical analysis showed that there is genetic variation of different intensity depending on their origin. More specifically, the degree of genetic similarity was higher between the cultivars Fokiano, Armeletoussa and Giouroukiko, sustaining the hypothesis that the last two are clones of the first, while Ericaras has lower genetic similarity compared to them, and must be considered as different cultivar. The same applies for the cultivars Serifiotiko, Atsala and Asproudi Spetson which could be clones of Stavrochiotiko, Rompola and Asproudi Mykinon, respectively. The high degree of genetic similarity detected for the cultivars Xeromachairouda, Syriki, Eftakoilo, Karystino and Ladikino suggests their common origin. The rest of the cultivars of the group of Asproudia are closely related but different, while the relatively low degree of genetic similarity does not support the hypothesis that Kokkinorompola is a mutation of Rompola. The ampelographic description in combination with the molecular method AFLP are effective for the study of the between and within genetic diversity of grapevine cultivars as well as for their identification and discrimination.