Exploration of elite grapevine germplasm of Oltrepò pavese (northern Italy) using genetic, chemotaxonomic and morphological markers

Forty seven grapevine accessions, including major and minor local germplasm and cultivars presently grown in Oltrepò pavese (Pavia, Italy) as well as in other regions, were analysed by molecular, chemotaxonomic and morphological markers. Eleven microsatellite l o c i w e re analysed; all except one were highly polymorphic. The analysed germplasm turned out to have a wide genetic constitution. With the exception of three ‘Pinot’clones, all the accessions were identified by unique genetic fingerprinting, and comparisons among homonymous accessions showed that genetic distances were greater than those expected among clones belonging to the same variety. The anthocyanin profile of berry skin in coloured accessions, as determined by HPLC, and leaf shape descriptors, confirmed the conclusions drawn for the microsatellite analysis.