Use of microsatellite polymorphisms to develop an identification key for Tunisian apricots

Microsatellite polymorphisms in 54 apricot landrace cultivars were identified by using 26 Prunus microsatellite primers. Samples of apricot cultivars were collected in eight growing regions in Tunisia ranging from the north to the south of the country and from the sub-humid to the saharian areas. The primers revealed 103 alleles and 155 different genotypes among the 54 apricot accessions. The most polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to develop an identification key. Five microsatellite primers and the 28 resulting alleles were sufficient to discriminate among all 54 cultivars. These results are discussed in the context of cultivar nomenclature, geographic origins, and the comprehensive fingerprinting of Tunisian apricot collections. © 2006 Springer.