Genetic diversity of a collection of Greek and foreign apricot cultivars and hybrids using molecular markers.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) originated from China and was introduced to ancient Greece in about 60 BC. Molecular techniques, such as RAPDs and ISSR, have been used for studying the genetic relationship in Prunus species. In the present study a collection of Greek, foreign apricot cultivars and hybrids originated from crosses among Greek and American PPV resistant cultivars were evaluated through DNA marker techniques. Based on the results, the accessions were not clustered according to their geographical origin. Two major groups were formed. The first group included two American cultivars, an Asian cultivar, a selected seedling originating from an American cultivar and a hybrid between an American and a Greek cultivar. The second group included the American cultivars, the Asian cultivars along with a Balkan cultivar, the Greek cultivars and the hybrids between the Greek and the American cultivars. Based on our results, the Greek cultivars show a broad genetic diversity (Diamantopoulou-Bebecou, 0.67).