Analysis of Genetic Structure of Twelve Sicilian Grapevine Cultivars

In recent years, Sicilian viticulture has shown a significant growth with a remarkable increase both in quantity and in quality. Sicily is a large wine region in Italy and its wines are already known on the international markets. Several autoch-thonous grapevine cultivars have been preserved in Sicily, but the Island genetic resources are still almost unexploited due to the lack of genetic characterization. The aim of the present study is to investigate molecular characteristics of Sicilian cultivars; evaluate probable cases of synonymies and false attributions, and preserve Sicilian germplasm. A wide screening of 12 major Sicilian cultivars was carried out (‘Carricante’, ‘Catarratto comune’ and ‘lucido’, ‘Nero d’Avola’, ‘Nerello cappuccio’, ‘Nerello Mascalese’, ‘Perricone’, ‘Grillo’, ‘Grecanico’, ‘Inzolia’, ‘Corinto nero’ and ‘Frappato’). In this frame a total of 687 accessions were collected and analysed with SSR markers (6 to 21 SSR loci). Allelic profiles were obtained and compared with international databases, allowing verification of mistakes and false attributions. Results clarified several synonymies and false attributions, and highlighted the richness and variability of the Sicilian grapevine platform still present in the region. Furthermore, these data provide a base for future studies.