Molecular markers in genetic variability assessment, cultivar fingerprinting and hybrid identification in fruit and vegetables

Isozyme, RADP and AFLP markers were used in the UCTA, University of Algarve, for several studies in fruit tree and vegetable species. In Citrus, isozyme analysis was used for assessing genetic variability of traditional cultivars, for distinguishing nucellars from zigotics scion and rootstock cultivars, for parentage determination of hybrid plants and to identify mistakes occurring in commercial nurseries. In figs (Ficus carica L.), isozyme and RAPD analyses allowed the detection of errors in a field collection, and jointly with AFLP analysis were used to discriminate and fingerprint germplasm accessions. In almond (Prunus dulcis Webb) isozyme, RAPD and AFLP markers were utilised to discriminate among cultivars. Recently, several programs aiming to identify molecular markers linked to resistance genes and to construct genomic maps in pineapple, Brassica sp., peas and chickpeas, were initiated in our laboratory