Abstract
Pompia is a citrus fruit endemic of Sardinia, Italy, with an essential oil profile showing outstanding anti-inflammatory and anti-microbic properties. Despite its remarkable pharmaceutical potential, little taxonomic and genetic information is available for this species. We applied flow cytometry and classical cytogenetic techniques to assess the DNA content and to reconstruct the karyotype of several Pompia accessions. Molecular data from plastid DNA barcoding and nuclear DNA sequencing were used to study the genetic distance between Pompia and other citrus species. Flow cytometric estimates of DNA content and somatic chromosome counts suggest that Pompia is a regular diploid Citrus species. DNA polymorphisms of nuclear and chloroplast markers allowed us to investigate the genetic relationships between Pompia accessions and other Citrus species. Based on DNA polymorphism data we propose that Pompia is a very recent interspecific hybrid generated by a cross between C. aurantium (as seed bearer) and C. medica (as pollen donor). Our findings pave the way for further and more specific investigations of local Pompia germplasm resources that may help the preservation and valorisation of this valuable citrus fruit tree.
Highlights
Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs belonging to the family Rutaceae
To shed some light on the taxonomic origin of this species, detailed cytometric, karyological and molecular investigations were attempted by studying a core collection of Pompia including 10 accessions collected in different geographical areas of Sardinia, together with accessions from the three basic Citrus species and five secondary species which based on morphological traits of fruits are likely related to Pompia
Flow cytometric and karyological investigations demonstrated that Pompia is a regular diploid plant
Summary
Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs belonging to the family Rutaceae. Species belonging to this genus have very small mitotic chromosomes (1.0–4.0 μm) and most of them are similar in their morphology [1]. Citrus species comprehend many interspecific hybrids and several economically important crops such as oranges, lemons, pomelo, limes and grapefruit [6]. While many Citrus hybrids have gained wide diffusion around the world, some others are still almost unknown to most consumers and their cultivation is restricted to small orchards as unique endemism [7]. Since the initial definition of the genus by Linneaus in 1753, the taxonomic classification of Citrus species has proved controversial
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