Characterization of edible fig germplasm from Puglia, southeastern Italy: Is the distinction of three fig types (Smyrna, San Pedro and Common) still valid?

Abstract Fig. ( Ficus carica L.) is a gynodioecious species with two major sex types: the caprifig (hermaphroditic), which has male flowers and short-styled female flowers, and the fig (female) with only long-styled female flowers. Many fig varieties require pollen to allow flower fertilization and fruit development in a process known as caprification. Fig varieties produce one or two crops per year; the first is the breba and the second, the main crop. Puglia is characterized by a wide germplasm of both edible (female) figs and (male) caprifigs. Over 100 different fig genotypes, mainly collected in Puglia, are located in the fig repository at the P. Martucci experimental station, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’. The tendency towards caprification of the three fig types (Common, Smyrna and San Pedro) is still unclear. To investigate the biological behavior of 24 fig genotypes, both caprification trials and microsatellite analysis were used. Fruit-set of brebas was very variable, whereas fruit-set of main crop was medium-high in the Common type varieties and low in the San Pedro types. Almost all genotypes were physiologically biferous. We compared these results with those obtained from molecular and phylogenetic analyses. Out of 49 SSR markers tested, 39 amplified one or two PCR products, and 31 were polymorphic. Phylogenetic analysis of the 24 fig genotypes revealed a clear distinction between Common and San Pedro type figs. Greater understanding of fig biological caprification is important to distinguish fig types into those requiring caprification and those that do not require caprification.