THE GERMAN PARSLEY GERMPLASM COLLECTION - INTERACTION OF MORPHOLOGICAL, MOLECULAR AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERS

Abstract

The German parsley (Petroselinum crispum [Mill.] Nyman) germplasm collection (220 accessions) was cultivated at two different places in order to study the variability and biodiversity of the collection. With the help of a descriptor a standardized morphological characterisation of the accessions was done. 14 curled, 169 smooth and 25 root parsleys were found. 12 accessions were a mix of smooth and curled parsleys. Differences in the 1000 grain weight and in the flowering time of the morphological types could be detected. However, the measurement of the chlorophyll content was not an appropriate method to distinguish between the morphological types. Different molecular markers were used to explain the relationship between the accessions. All root parsleys form a cluster together with some smooth leaf parsleys, the other smooth and curled parsleys appear in a second cluster. Furthermore, the composition of the essential oil and the volatile compounds were analysed. The content of myrcene and β-phellandrene can be correlated with root parsley and leaf parsley, respectively. For the volatile compounds two groups could be defined which correlate with the molecular clusters. In conclusion, a very well characterised parsley collection will be available for further breeding purposes.