Identification of grapevine cultivars using microsatellite-based DNA barcodes

Abstract

Microsatellite allele sizes were determined at twelve loci in 115 grape genotypes, including 88 ancient Vitis vinifera L. cultivars indigenous to the Carpathian Basin. Pairwise comparison of the microsatellite data led to the identification of ambiguous nomenclature and established differences between two grapevine cultivars, Leányka and Leányszőlő, previously thought of as identical. The data also disproved erroneous assumptions about the parentage of two additional cultivars, one of which was 'Csabagyöngye' ('Pearl of Csaba'), an economically important grapevine and a renowned genetic resource for grape breeding. The results also pointed to several possible parent-progeny relationships which will be subject to further pedigree studies. The DNA typing information was used to construct a barcode system which was incorporated into the Hungarian Vitis Microsatellite Database for efficient and unambiguous identification of grape genotypes, thereby increasing the precision with which genetic resources are managed in Hungary.