Genetic Diversity of Wild Grapevine [Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmel.) Hegi] in the Eastern Adriatic Region

Abstract

The genetic diversity of wild grapevine [Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmel.) Hegi] in the eastern Adriatic region, which includes Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, has previously not been documented. Natural populations of wild grapevine were identified in their natural habitats, and their genetic diversity was studied and compared with both local and widespread European cultivars. Ninety-two grapevine genotypes were determined at 21 nuclear microsatellite loci, including 53 wild grapevine individuals, 32 diverse local Croatian and west European cultivars, and seven commonly used rootstocks. Two hundred thirty-nine alleles were detected, with a mean of 11.4 alleles per locus and high heterozygosity, ranging from 0.461 to 0.897 for observed heterozygosity and from 0.391 to 0.837 for expected heterozygosity. The genetic diversity of the wild grapevines was slightly lower than that observed in cultivars. Distance- and model-based cluster analysis differentiated three main groups, indicating clear separation between wild, cultivated, and rootstock accessions. This study greatly contributes to knowledge of genetic diversity in local wild grapevine populations in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and provides necessary information for their conservation and further characterization.