S_allele identification and genetic diversity analysis of apricot cultivars

In this study, the sexual incompatibility and S-allele diversity of 24 Turkish apricot cultivars, Paviot and Sakıt-1 as parents and 127 F1 progenies were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing techniques. Additionally, genetic diversity and relatedness among the 24 cultivars were determined using 18 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from the genus Prunus. PCR for S_alleles identified nine different S-RNase alleles in the 24 apricot cultivars, namely Sc, S1, S2, S8, S9, S20, S24, S52, and S53. All primers amplified only one S_allele in the cultivars Adilcevaz-1, Adilcevaz-3, Ethembey, Pasamismisi, Canakkale, and Soganci. Most of the Turkish cultivars were self-incompatible. The Sc allele was present in only three cultivars (Canakkale, Ethembey, Imrahor) that are, therefore, self-compatible. The S_alleles of cultivars Paviot and Sakıt-1 displayed homology with the Sc, S2 and S20, and S52 alleles. In the 127 F1 genotypes, the two S_alleles of Paviot were inherited by roughly half of the offspring, while about 76% of the offspring inherited the S52 allele from Sakıt-1, and less than 24% inherited S20. The amplification using all SSR 18 primers was successful and produced 128 polymorphic alleles with an average of 7.11 alleles per locus. Among the apricot cultivars studied, expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.33 to 0.72, observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.42 to 1.00, PIC values were between 0.28 and 0.89, and similarity rates were between 0.30 and 0.68. The cultivars Levent and Ozal were genetically closest (0.68) while cultivars Sakıt-3 and Sogancı were the most distinct (0.30). © 2017 The Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology Trust.113Z540This work was funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) [grant number: 113Z540]