Preservation and sanitary status of Algerian grapevine germplasm: Management and improvement

The conservation of genetic variability and the preservation of vine biodiversity are critical, current objectives of viticultural research. Germplasm assessment is extremely difficult, particularly when many accessions are included. Microsatellite markers have become an essential tool for germplasm collection management and an approach to genetic diversity. This research reviews the molecular characterization of eighty-one accessions stored at the Skikda germplasm collection in Algeria, as well as ELISA analysis to detect viruses and estimate sanitary status. Accessions were genotyped with 12 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers, including the nine ‘international’ loci used for grapevine identity. Genetic diversity is affirmed by the high number (149) of different alleles (mean of 12,42 alleles per locus), the average expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity were determined to be 0,850 and 0,864, respectively and to uncover instances of synonymy, misnaming, and duplication. A total of 43 distinct genotypes were found and the genotypes of 30 accessions were validated according to the reference literature and Vitis public and private databases; most of autochthonous varieties that have been propagated for a long time in a small, closed and circle area have displayed a high incidence of GLRaV-3 and GVA, with 61.9% and 50%, respectively. A close relationship was demonstrated with certain grape varieties from the eastern and western areas of the Mediterranean basin, resulting from previous vine cultivar exchanges. Together, our results can improve grapevine germplasm management and emphasizes the need to recover the endangered genetic diversity that characterizes negligible and ignored vines or germplasm biotypes, and the need to reappraise and support the effective exploitation of variability resources to assist in the development of new grapes varieties and rootstocks which will then enhance the regional food and agriculture industry.