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Genetic and Phenotypic diversity of Croatian olive germplasm

The research activities of the project "Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding" were conservation, phenotyping and genotyping of olive genetic resources in Croatia. During the field expeditions, nine populations of wild olives were selected and included in the study together with cultivars from the field collections at Institute for Adriatic Crops and from the production orchards. Qualitative and quantitative traits of leaf, fruit, stone and flower were assessed at 97 wild genotypes, 28 autochthonous and 35 foreign cultivars. Fruit and stone traits showed high discriminatory capacity between wild olives and cultivars. The samples of 223 genotypes were molecularly characterized using 12 SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) markers. The results showed high genetic variability of the Croatian germplasm separating the wild genotypes from the cultivated ones. Chemical and sensory profiling of 54 monovarietal extra virgin olive oils showed that fatty acids, phenolic content and sensory profile are predominantly characteristics of a cultivar. According to obtained results the plant material was propagated and used for establishment of new collection orchard and in greenhouse experiments to assess the sensitivity of different genotypes to abiotic and biotic stresses. The alternate bearing of Oblica, the main Croatian olive cultivar was studied in production orchard. The trees with different fruit load showed differences in flower and fruit morphology as in fruit and oil yields. The olive research group at Institute for Adriatic Crops will continue to work in selection, evaluation and preservation of olive autochthonous and wild genotypes.

Wild olives, cultivars, morphological characteristics, SSR markers, olive oil

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