Molecular characterization of the interspecific hybrid Pistacia vigros (P. vera L. × P. atlantica Desf.)

A new Pistacia variety, VIGROS, has been characterized here using nuclear and chloroplastidial DNA sequences, which are suitable tools for genetic improvement and cultivar identification. The nuclear DNA sequences (ribosomal ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) determined that VIGROS is an interspecific hybrid between Pistacia vera L. and Pistacia atlantica Desf. The chloroplastidial DNA sequences (trnC-D, trnL-F regions) demonstrated that VIGROS bears a haplotype 100% coincident with that of P. vera, which would then be regarded as the female parent, while P. atlantica would be the male one. Due to its vigorous phenotype VIGROS has the potential to be used as a rootstock. This characterization may benefit producers and contribute to improved grafting of pistachios. Also, this paper demonstrates the validity of this set of molecular markers to characterize interspecific Pistacia hybrids.