Genetic characterization of Slovenian pear germplasm by microsatellite markers and flow cytometry

Gostinčar, Kristina (author), Osterc, Gregor (author), Štajner, Nataša (author), Luthar, Zlata (author)

In this work, a total of 132 genetic resources from four distinct collections in Slovenia were analysed with a set of 14 microsatellite markers (SSR) to determine the genetic structure and diversity of the pear germplasm. In total, 242 distinct alleles were successfully amplified with an average of 17.3 alleles per locus and the results showed a high diversity of the germplasm with an average expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.82 and an average observed heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.68. Pairwise comparison reduced the number of unique genetic resources to 108 (19 % redundancy). The study also revealed 25 genetic resources with synonymy and 15 cases of homonyms. The cluster analysis of unique genetic resources and 7 reference varieties grouped the accessions into three main groups. The group A and C consisted mostly of a local genotype, while the group B included in majority international varieties. In addition, group A includes also P. pyraster and P. caucasica. Using a Bayesian clustering method revealed three main genetic groups, G1 and G2 with predominantly local genotypes, G3 with international varieties. Flow cytometry confirmed the presence of 10 triploid genetic resources in the population studied, representing 9.7 %. Phenotypic evaluation revealed significant differences between the early and late harvest groups for fruit height, width and weight, while there were no differences for stalk length and thickness. The results indicate a high genetic diversity of the local germplasm and underline the importance of preserving these varieties, which may be required for new breeding programmes.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Pyrus spp., pear, genetic resources, genetic diversity, SSR, flow cytometry, ploidy
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 345, [article no.] ǂ114091
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-169126
• UDC: 575
• ISSN on article: 0304-4238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114091
• COBISS.SI-ID: 235714563
• Publication date in RUL: 13.05.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Scientia horticulturae
• Shortened title: Sci. hortic.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0304-4238
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5191687

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: hruška, genski viri, genetska raznolikost, mikrosatelitski markerji, pretočna citometrija, ploidnost

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Name: Young Researcher program

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0077
• Name: Kmetijske rastline - genetika in sodobne tehnologije