RAPD genetic diversity of Albanian olive germplasm and its relationships with other Mediterranean countries

RAPD markers were used for the study of 19 Albanian olive cultivars and two wild olives (oleasters). A total of 76 polymorphic bands (4.8 polymorphic markers per primer) out of 107 reproducible were obtained using 16 primers. The number of bands per primer ranged from 4 to 10, whereas the number of polymorphic bands ranged from 1 to 9, corresponding to 71% of the total amplification products. All the accessions could be identified by the combination of four primers: OPA-19; OPA-02; OPK-16 and OPP-19. The dendrogram, based on Jaccard's index, included three major groups according to their origin: 1) most of the cultivars from the area of Berat (South of Albania) 2) cultivars from the Centre and Centre-North of Albania and 3) cultivars from the Centre and North-West of Albania along with the oleaster from Elbasan. In order to evaluate the origin of Albanian cultivars they were compared to those diffused in other countries like Greece, Italy and Turkey, due to geographical and historical affinity among these countries, by using a one way AMOVA. Although most of the genetic diversity was attributable to differences among cultivars within each country (91.47%) significant phi-values among countries (phi(st) = 0.085; p < 0.001) suggested the existence of RAPD phenotypic differentiation. Significant phi-values in all pairs formed by Albania with the other countries were observed. These results are consistent with the autochthonous origin of Albanian cultivars.