ARI Biennial Review for 2018-2019

OLIVE CULTURE - OLIVE OIL TECHNOLOGY Conservation, evaluation and management of olive genetic resources Local olive genetic material is under conservation in the ex situ Collection of Olive Genetic Material (OCARICY) situated at the Tochni Experimental Station, in the context of the research project: “Management of the ARI ex situ Collection of Olive Genetic Material”. The main objectives of the project are: a) proper ex situ conservation of the genetic resources; b) characterisation, identification and evaluation of genetic resources; c) implementation of actions for further prospection, collection and installation of local genetic material in the Collection; d) enrichment of OCARICY with genetic material from other countries. (M.G. Emmanouilidou) Characterisation and identification of indigenous olive germplasm from Cyprus using morphological and SSR markers Implementation of the recently developed Cyprus National Register of Commercial Varieties mandates proper cataloguing of the material conserved in the ex situ Olive Collection at the Agricultural Research Institute of Cyprus. A total of 32 accessions were analysed using 11 morphological endocarp traits and 14 SSR markers. The SSR variability allowed segregation of 16 genotypes among accessions, which were clustered into three main groups based on genetic similarity. Similarity indexes among groups ranged from 0.63 to 0.65 and within groups were > 0.9. Lower morphological variability was detected among accessions, which conformed to three morphological profiles; moreover, the three morphological profiles corresponded to the three groups of genetic similarity obtained by SSR markers. The identification, based on the unique combination of SSR genotypes and endocarp morphologies, revealed the presence of three cultivars (‘Kato Drys’, ‘Korakou’ and ‘Ladoelia’) and 15 molecular variants that presented limited molecular differences but morphological profiles identical to their catalogued cultivars. Two cultivars, ‘Ladoelia’ and ‘Kato Drys’, demonstrated molecular variation. The current study underpins the efficient management of olive germplasm collections based on combined molecular and phenotypic characterisation of their accessions. The complete cataloguing of olive germplasm ensures the correct distribution of identified and authenticated material across national or international institutions. (M.G. Emmanouilidou, M.C. Kyriacou) Elaeographic description of olive cultivars Following the identification of local Cypriot olive genetic material, based on the unique combination of SSR genotypes and endocarp morphologies that revealed the presence of three local cultivars (‘Kato Drys’, ‘Korakou’ and ‘Ladoelia’), a full elaiographic description for them was held. A total of 24 morphological characters of tree, leaf blade, fruit and stone described based on CPVO-TP/099/1 and UPOV-TG/99/4 Protocols for Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability Tests in Olive ( Olea europaea L.). (M.G. Emmanouilidou) 22 FRUIT TREES