Genetic analysis of central Anatolian grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) germplasm by simple sequence repeats

The Anatolian peninsula otherwise known as Asia Minor is considered one of the centers that shaped grape ( Vitis spp.) evolution and domestication. This region with diverse ecological conditions also has a long history of viticulture and growing grapes has been a part of the local culture since very old times. However, very little information is available on genetic analysis of Anatolian grape germplasm. This study reports on genetic analyses of 88 grapevine cultivars from Central Anatolia using 17 microsatellite (SSR) loci. The average number of alleles per locus was 9.18, ranging from 5 to 15. The highest heterozygosity rate was obtained for the SSR loci “VVS2” and “VMC2H4.” Genetic distances between populations ranged from 0.056 to 0.207 and two cases of identical, seven cases of homonymous, and nine cases of synonymous grape cultivar groups were identified. Based on comparisons with international Vitis databases, it has been determined that “Moldova-Coarna Neagra” cultivar is synonymous with some Anatolian cultivars. In addition, investigation of the genetic diversity of 20 genotypes of Anatolian wild germplasm revealed a higher level of genetic diversity in wild populations than in cultivated ones at the studied microsatellite loci. The results reported here should not only contribute towards better management of the grape germplasm of the region but also provide new insights into grape domestication.