An analysis of apricot cultivars by random amplified polymorphic DNA and microsatellite primers

Abstract

The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique and microsatellites were used to study the genetic diversity and to identify cultivars within a collection of 95 cultivars of Prunus armeniaca L. A dendrogram based on 13 RAPD primers and a dendrogram based on 9 microsatellite primers were prepared using the unweighted pair group method with average (UPGMA) group analysis. In both dendrograms, the cultivars were classified into five groups, according to their geographic origin: hybrids originated by hybridization among cultivars of European and Asian origin, European cultivars, American cultivars, Asian cultivars and interspecific hybrids. Eleven cultivars were not distinguished (9 cultivars with supposed relatedness to Velkopavlovická cv., 2 cvs Vynoslivyj and Vynoslivyj 21/1 that are assumed to be clones) using 9 microsatellite primers. The similarities and the differences revealed among incorporation of cultivars into groups were compared with the literature findings. The results of these analyses have a direct implication on the selection of new breeding progenitors at the Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Lednice, Czech Republic.

Keywords

• prunus armeniaca l.
• microsatellites
• rapd primers
• cultivar identification