Paternity analysis of the olive variety "Istrska belica" and identification of pollen donors by microsatellite markers.

Alenka Baruca Arbeiter,Dunja Bandelj,Jernej Jakše

doi:10.1155/2014/208590

Alenka Baruca Arbeiter, Dunja Bandelj + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/208590

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Abstract

The leading olive variety in Slovenia is “Istrska belica” (Olea europaea L.), which currently represents 70% of all olive trees in productive orchards. Paternity analysis based on microsatellite markers was used for genotyping and identification of the potential pollen donors of “Istrska belica” and for assessing the proportion of self-fertilization in monovarietal olive orchards in the Slovene Istria. Seven microsatellite loci were used for genotyping thirty-one olive embryos from “Istrska belica” trees and for all potential pollen donor varieties, which are grown in the region and could participate as pollinators. Genotyping results and allele identification were performed using the FaMoz software. The most probable pollen donor was assigned to 39% of all analyzed embryos. Among all analyzed embryos no single case of self-fertilization was confirmed. According to the present results, the variety “Istrska belica” was in all cases fertilized by foreign pollen. The results will contribute to defining the new guidelines for farmers regarding the proper management and growing practice in monovarietal olive groves.

Highlights

The olive (Olea europaea L.) is a long-living evergreen oil fruit tree
Paternity analysis based on microsatellite markers was used for genotyping and identification of the potential pollen donors of “Istrska belica” and for assessing the proportion of self-fertilization in monovarietal olive orchards in the Slovene Istria
Seven microsatellite loci were used for genotyping thirty-one olive embryos from “Istrska belica” trees and for all potential pollen donor varieties, which are grown in the region and could participate as pollinators

Summary

Introduction

The olive (Olea europaea L.) is a long-living evergreen oil fruit tree. Its cultivation is widely spread in the Mediterranean Basin, which provides about 90% of the world olive production [1]. Favorable nutritional properties of olive oil contributed to the increasing consumption worldwide, and the olive production has recently started in countries with similar Mediterranean climate conditions such as Argentina, Chile, Mexico, the US, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa [2]. The extraordinary regenerative capacity of olive trees, compatibility and crossing between wild, feral, and cultivated forms, and fixation of desirable olive genotypes through vegetative propagation [3] have contributed to the diversity of olive varieties. The choice of varietal structure for the growing region significantly contributes to the quality of olive oil, and compatibility of varieties is one of the most important factors affecting the amount and durability of the yield that should be considered for the selection of varieties in olive orchard

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