Comparative ampelographic and genetic analysis of grapevine cultivars from Algeria and Morocco

Background and Aims: North Africa has a long history of viticulture and a wide diversity of grape cultivars. Ampelographic studies have been made of grapevine cultivars grown all over the world, but only a few describe those of Algeria and Morocco. Many Maghrebi cultivars held in germplasm banks or found growing wild in this region have recently been subjected to microsatellite profiling by different researchers, though little comparative analysis has been undertaken. The aim of the present work was to clarify the identity of the grapevine cultivars growing in the Maghreb via ampelographic and single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis. Methods and Results: Seventy-one accessions were studied through the ampelographic construction of their mean leaves, via genotypic analysis using single-nucleotide polymorphism markers, and the comparison of these results with previously reported single sequence repeat marker profiles and ampelographic data for other grapevine material from the Maghreb. Conclusion: New synonyms and homonyms were detected between Maghrebi cultivars. Some misinterpretations and errors of identification made during the making of the studied germplasm collections were identified. Significance of the Study: This study helps clarify the confusion over the identity of Algerian and Moroccan grapevine cultivars and provides a general picture of grapevine diversity in the Maghreb. © 2014 Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Inc.