Short communicationGenetic variation in gardenia grown as pot plant in Greece

•We assessed the level of polymorphism in cultivated gardenia in Greece.•23 gardenia plant samples collected from 5 nurseries were tested with 11 RAPDs.•Greek gardenia is a monogenotypic cultivar with minimal genetic diversity.•Divergent genotypes could be utilized to broaden genetic basis.

Gardenia is one of the most important pot plants in the flower industry of Greece. A morphologically uniform variety is propagated by terminal shoot cuttings and grown largely in the area of Mount Pelion (Central Greece) by the cooperative Gardenia Growers Group (GGG) as cv. Pelion. In the exports to the European flower market cv. Pelion is known mainly as 'Greek gardenia'. So far, there is lack of information about the genetic profile of the 'Greek gardenia' and the plant propagation material used in the Greek nurseries. In the present study we examined the genetic variation of gardenia in the cooperative nurseries of GGG, in a total of 21 clonal samples, using 11 RAPD markers. The samples were compared with gardenia cv. Kimberly. All RAPD primers generated bands, with 10 primers showing high polymorphism. A total of 81 DNA fragments were amplified and among them 11 unique bands were detected. Comparison of band pattern revealed that the clones have very low genetic variation and comprise one large group that can be considered as one only clone that has been vastly cultivated and is distributed to the flower market. According to our results, this clone can be clearly distinguished from the control cv. Kimberly and its molecular pattern was detected in 18 out of 21 individuals. Each of the three remaining individuals had a unique band pattern and can be considered variants of the dominant clone. Thus, 'Greek gardenia' or 'Pelion' can be considered as a cultivar with homogenous genetic composition and low amount of variation that has probably resulted from clonal variants used as propagation material in some nurseries.