High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.): A tool for microsatellite genotyping and molecular characterization of a Greek Genebank collection

• Greek eggplant landraces and cultivars genotyping.
• Use of nuclear and EST-SSR in eggplant landraces.
• Genebank genotypes molecular assessment.
• HRM analysis of gene-based markers.

The conservation and characterization of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) genetic resources in germplasm banks has been the basis of their use in breeding projects, which has resulted in the development of new cultivars. High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis, combined with eight microsatellite markers, has been integrated in order to facilitate the molecular identification and characterization of the eggplant germplasm, collected from the National Genebank Collection of Greece. The eight microsatellite loci used were highly informative and generated sixty three HRM profiles, which were sufficient to discriminate all eggplant landraces and cultivars studied, highlighting its potential use for cultivar genotyping. The thirty six eggplant genotypes were classified into four clusters. Hence, this assay provided a fast, cost-effective and closed-tube microsatellite genotyping method, well suited for molecular characterization of eggplant cultivars.