Molecular characterization of apricot varieties included in the "Albicocca Vesuviana" PGI regulation

Approximately 40% of the Italian apricot production comes from the Campania region, where the most important area of cultivation is around the Vesuvian area. Little is known about the genetic identity of the Vesuvian apricot trees. Although several biotypes have been described, only 11 cultivars are accepted for the production of certified fruits. These cultivars, particularly adapted to the Vesuvian environment, are the result of selection carried out by local farmers. Therefore, it is important to define tools to objectively identify each cultivar in order to guarantee their conservation and protection. The objective of the present study was to provide a molecular marker-based profile to identify and discriminate the apricot cultivars protected by the “Albicocca Vesuviana” PGI mark. With this aim, the molecular diversity of these cultivars was studied with 7 SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) analyzing loci. The allelic profiles discriminated 8 out of the 11 cultivars, whereas the other cultivars represent possible cases of synonyms or genetically close varieties. A more detailed morphological characterization of these varieties will allow a better understanding of the genetic relationship among them.