Genetic characterization of Vitis vinifera accessions cultivated in Sicily (Italy)

Grape production and wine production are expanding sectors of Sicilian agriculture. Sicilian wines have asserted themselves on the Italian and on the international market over the last years. Sicily provides a high number of autochthonous Vitis vinifera varieties that are an important source of genetic diversity that is at the moment unexploited. Indeed, selected material from local cultivars is missing. The goal of this project is a better agronomic, sanitary, and genetic evaluation of cultivated germplasm. The information gathered will form the basis of a tool to assess intra-varietal diversification and assist clonal selection and registration. The present study reports preliminary results obtained in the analysis of 17 major Sicilian varieties with 12 microsatellite markers (VVS2, VVMD7, VVMD27, VVMD21, VVMD24, VVMD25, VVMD28, VrZAG21, VrZAG47, VrZAG62, VrZAG79). The microsatellite allelic profiles allowed the identification and discrimination of all tested cultivars.