Evaluation of genetic diversity in fig accessions by using microsatellite markers.

Fig (Ficus carica L.) is a fruit of great importance worldwide. Its propagation is carried out with stem cuttings, a procedure that favors the occurrence of synonymy among specimens. Thus, molecular markers have become an important tool for studies of DNA fingerprinting, germplasm characterization, and genetic diversity evaluation in this plant species. The aim of this study was the analysis of genetic diversity among accessions of fig and the detection of synonyms among samples using molecular markers. Five microsatellite markers previously reported as polymorphic to fig were used to characterize 11 fig cultivars maintained in the germplasm bank located in Lavras, Minas Gerais. A total of 21 polymorphic DNA fragments were amplified, with an average of 4.2 alleles per locus. The average allelic diversity and polymorphic information content were 0.6300 and 0.5644, respectively, whereas the total value for the probability of identity was 1.45 x 10(-4). The study allowed the identification of 10 genotypes and 2 synonymous individuals. The principal coordinate analysis showed no defined clusters despite the formation of groups according to geographical origin. However, neighbor-joining analysis identified the same case of synonymy detected using principal coordinate analysis. The data also indicated that the fig cultivars analyzed constitute a population of individuals with high genetic diversity and a broad range of genetic variation.

Genetic diversity of Brazilian and introduced olive germplasms based on microsatellite markers.

Olive trees have been grown since the beginning of civilization, and the consumption of olives and olive products is increasing worldwide, due to their health benefits and organoleptic qualities. To meet the growing market for olives, commercial cultivation of this species is expanding from traditional areas to new regions. Although the Brazilian olive industry has just begun to be established, breeding programs are already developing cultivars that are more adapted to local conditions. We used 12 microsatellite markers to evaluate 60 olive accessions, including several cultivars that were developed in Brazil. The analyses identified 72 distinct alleles; the largest number of alleles per locus were at the markers GAPU 101 and GAPU 71B, which contained 10 and 9 alleles, respectively. The largest allelic diversity and polymorphic information contents were also found at the GAPU 101 and GAPU 71B markers, with values of 0.8399/0.8203 and 0.8117/0.7863, respectively. Additionally, the 12 microsatellite markers generated a cumulative identity probability of 1.51 x 10(-10), indicating a high level of accuracy of accession identification. The set of markers that we used allowed the identification of 52 of the 60 olive genotypes, in addition to the recognition of several varietal synonyms. The components of a two-dimensional principal coordinate analysis explained 48.6% of the total genetic variation. The results obtained from the microsatellite markers showed a substantial degree of genetic diversity in the olive tree accessions used in Brazil.