Genetic diversity and differentiation of grafted and seed propagated apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) in the Maghreb region

Apricots from Maghreb region (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) in North Africa are both clonally (by grafting) and seed propagated that are mainly grown in oasis agroecosystems. Are these two apricot groups genetically distinct or closely related, as previously suggested? We sought an answer to this question by analysing the genetic diversity and differentiation of 183 apricot accessions from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia using 24 nuclear microsatellite markers distributed throughout the eight linkage groups of the Prunus genome. A total of 191 alleles were detected in the studied accessions. Similar high genetic diversity parameters were observed among all apricot geographic groups, revealing that there is high genetic variability in apricots from the Maghreb region. We conducted hierarchical clustering using the Neighbor-joining algorithm and showed that apricot can be classified according to its geographic origin and propagation mode in Maghreb. Despite this, we showed that both grafted and seed propagated apricots shared a common gene pool. Overall our results will help to improve management and conservation of Maghrebian apricot genetic resources.

► Using SSR markers and a population genetics method, we investigated genetic relationships between grafted and seed propagated apricots in the Maghreb region.
► We noted similar high levels of genetic diversity among geographic groups.
► We classified apricot according to its geographic origin and propagation mode.
► We showed that grafted versus seed propagated apricot shared a common gene pool.