Utilization of molecular methods for hop (Humulus lupulusL.) genotype evaluation

Abstract

In recent years, the utilization of molecular genetic methods is the best tool for the evaluation of individual genotypes. Modern molecular methods allow us to check the changes caused by the combination of parents, evaluate the relationships of individual genotypes or variability (diversity) within the population. Recently, we have developed an efficient marker system to control the authenticity of Czech hop (Humulus lupulus L.) cultivars, which we introduced into the system for the identification and control of hop cultivar purity. In our presented study, we evaluated molecular genetic variability within 109 world hop cultivars by hierarchical clustering techniques and principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). For molecular analyses, we used 269 amplified marker of SSR, STS and EST-SSR loci in total. Hop cultivars were divided into two major groups with North American or European origin and breeding influence by cluster analysis, as common knowledge from previous published results. PCoA more distinguished two breeding cultivar groups of ‘Saaz’ and ‘Fuggle’ hops in Europe. The usage of some cultivars during breeding history (‘Brewers Gold’, ‘Northern brewer’, ‘Cascade’, ‘Columbus’) was also noticeable.