Centennial olive trees as a reservoir of genetic diversity

Díez, Concepción M.; Trujillo, Isabel; Barrio, Eladio; Belaj, Angjelina; Barranco, D.; Rallo, L.

doi:10.1093/aob/mcr194

Cited by 98 publications

(110 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Of the old olive trees analyzed, scions of 252 trees were assigned to MLL-1 (Figure 4; Additional file 2); the bimodal frequency distribution of genetic distances among scions (Figure 3B) suggests that much of the diversity found among scions (Table 2) is due to somatic mutations. This implies that the substantial genetic diversity in the one dominant clone has accumulated during its probably very long existence, as had also been suggested for other ancient olive cultivars [13,18]. Although the diversity found in MLL-1 may be indicative of the antiquity of this ancestral clone, we unfortunately cannot even estimate the age of the trees, as in most cases the old inner parts of the trunks have disintegrated and are not available for radiocarbon dating or dendrochronological analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

A comparative analysis of genetic variation in rootstocks and scions of old olive trees – a window into the history of olive cultivation practices and past genetic variation

et al. 2014

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BackgroundPast clonal propagation of olive trees is intimately linked to grafting. However, evidence on grafting in ancient trees is scarce, and not much is known about the source of plant material used for rootstocks. Here, the Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) marker technique was used to study genetic diversity of rootstocks and scions in ancient olive trees from the Levant and its implications for past cultivation of olives. Leaf samples were collected from tree canopies (scions) and shoots growing from the trunk base (suckers). A total of 310 trees were sampled in 32 groves and analyzed with 14 SSR markers.ResultsIn 82.7% of the trees in which both scion and suckers could be genotyped, these were genetically different, and thus suckers were interpreted to represent the rootstock of grafted trees. Genetic diversity values were much higher among suckers than among scions, and 194 and 87 multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) were found in the two sample groups, respectively. Only five private alleles were found among scions, but 125 among suckers. A frequency analysis revealed a bimodal distribution of genetic distance among MLGs, indicating the presence of somatic mutations within clones. When assuming that MLGs differing by one mutation are identical, scion and sucker MLGs were grouped in 20 and 147 multi-locus lineages (MLLs). The majority of scions (90.0%) belonged to a single common MLL, whereas 50.5% of the suckers were single-sample MLLs. However, one MLL was specific to suckers and found in 63 (22.6%) of the samples.ConclusionsOur results provide strong evidence that the majority of olive trees in the study are grafted, that the large majority of scions belong to a single ancient cultivar containing somatic mutations, and that the widespread occurrence of one sucker genotype may imply rootstock selection. For the majority of grafted trees it seems likely that saplings were used as rootstocks; their genetic diversity probably is best explained as the result of a long history of sexual reproduction involving cultivated, feral and wild genotypes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

A comparative analysis of genetic variation in rootstocks and scions of old olive trees – a window into the history of olive cultivation practices and past genetic variation

et al. 2014

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“…sylvestris ). Similarly, a recent genetic survey of scions and rootstocks of old olive trees in the Iberian Peninsula suggested that old olive trees were grafted on wild growing trees [35]. Based on the distances between grafted trees and their spatial arrangement within the groves, Diez et al [35] additionally suggested that natural forests were transformed into olive orchards by grafting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic variation of naturally growing olive trees in Israel: from abandoned groves to feral and wild?

et al. 2016

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BackgroundNaturally growing populations of olive trees are found in the Mediterranean garrigue and maquis in Israel. Here, we used the Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) genetic marker technique to investigate whether these represent wild var. sylvestris. Leaf samples were collected from a total of 205 trees at six sites of naturally growing olive populations in Israel. The genetic analysis included a multi-locus lineage (MLL) analysis, Rousset’s genetic distances, Fst values, private alleles, other diversity values and a Structure analysis. The analyses also included scions and suckers of old cultivated olive trees, for which the dominance of one clone in scions (MLL1) and a second in suckers (MLL7) had been shown earlier.ResultsThe majority of trees from a Judean Mts. population and from one population from the Galilee showed close genetic similarity to scions of old cultivated trees. Different from that, site-specific and a high number of single occurrence MLLs were found in four olive populations from the Galilee and Carmel which also were genetically more distant from old cultivated trees, had relatively high genetic diversity values and higher numbers of private alleles. Whereas in two of these populations MLL7 (and partly MLL1) were found in low frequency, the two other populations did not contain these MLLs and were very similar in their genetic structure to suckers of old cultivated olive trees that originated from sexual reproduction.ConclusionsThe genetic distinctness from old cultivated olive trees, particularly of one population from Galilee and one from Carmel, suggests that trees at these sites might represent wild var. sylvestris. The similarity in genetic structure of these two populations with the suckers of old cultivated trees implies that wild trees were used as rootstocks. Alternatively, trees at these two sites may be remnants of old cultivated trees in which the scion-derived trunk died and was replaced by suckers. However, considering landscape and topographic environment at the two sites this second interpretation is less likely.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-016-0947-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…In fact, various types of molecular markers have been widely used to distinguish between olive varieties, determine cultivars origin and to study the genetic diversity (De Caraffa et al, 2002;Rao Durgac et al, 2010;Rekik et al, 2008). Among these molecular markers, Microsatellites are one of the most used for olive genotyping and cultivars discrimination (Diaz et al, 2006Sarri et al, 2006Baldoni et al, 2009;Bracci et al, 2009;Erre et al, 2010;Díez et al, 2011;Fendrin et al, 2014;Linos et al, 2014). Moreover, SSR markers are suited to distinguish closely related genotypes because of their high degree of variability and multi-allelic states.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of genetic diversity among Algerian olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars using SSR marker.

Abdessemed¹,

Muzzalupo

Benbouza

2015

Scientia Horticulturae

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Centennial olive trees as a reservoir of genetic diversity

Cited by 98 publications

References 57 publications

A comparative analysis of genetic variation in rootstocks and scions of old olive trees – a window into the history of olive cultivation practices and past genetic variation

A comparative analysis of genetic variation in rootstocks and scions of old olive trees – a window into the history of olive cultivation practices and past genetic variation

Genetic variation of naturally growing olive trees in Israel: from abandoned groves to feral and wild?

Assessment of genetic diversity among Algerian olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars using SSR marker.

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