Analysis of Wine-Producing Vitis vinifera L. Biotypes, Autochthonous to Crete (Greece), Employing Ampelographic and Microsatellite Markers

Evangelia V Avramidou; Ioannis Masaoutis; Theodora D Pitsoli; Aliki Kapazoglou; Maria Pikraki; Emmanouil A Trantas; Michael Nikolantonakis; Andreas G Doulis

doi:10.3390/life13010220

Analysis of Wine-Producing Vitis vinifera L. Biotypes, Autochthonous to Crete (Greece), Employing Ampelographic and Microsatellite Markers

Life (Basel). 2023 Jan 12;13(1):220. doi: 10.3390/life13010220.

Authors

Evangelia V Avramidou^{1

2}, Ioannis Masaoutis³, Theodora D Pitsoli⁴, Aliki Kapazoglou⁴, Maria Pikraki², Emmanouil A Trantas⁵, Michael Nikolantonakis², Andreas G Doulis²

Affiliations

¹ Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO "DIMITRA" (ex. NAGREF), Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Terma Alkmanos, Ilissia, 11528 Athens, Greece.
² Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Plants and Viticulture (IOSV), Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology & Genomic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO "DIMITRA" (ex. NAGREF), Kastorias 32A, 71307 Heraklion, Greece.
³ Winery of Agrunion of Heraklion, Inatou 32, 71303 Heraklion, Greece.
⁴ Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Plants and Viticulture (IOSV), Department of Grapevine, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO "DIMITRA" (ex. NAGREF), Lykovrissi, 14123 Athens, Greece.
⁵ Department of Agriculture, Laboratory of Biological and Biotechnological Applications, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 73133 Heraklion, Greece.

Abstract

Vitis vinifera ssp. vinifera (domesticated grapevine) includes thousands of cultivars, which are classified according to their main uses, as wines, fresh fruits or dried raisins and sultanas since ancient times. Evidence showed that Crete grapevine cultivars and winemaking date back to 2300 BC. In this study, fifty-one genotypes belonging to seven different traditional Vitis vinifera cultivars, presumed autochthonous to the island of Crete, were selected for their wine-producing potential and classified by 51 ampelographic descriptors. In addition, five genotypes belonging to two non-autochthonous cultivars were included as out-group controls. Subsequently, in order to characterize genetic diversity, establish genetic relationships within and between cultivars and solve accession-labeling problems, genotypes were fingerprinted employing Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR or microsatellite) markers. Four of the autochthonous cultivars namely 'Vidiano', 'Vilana', 'Plyto', and 'Moschato Spinas' are used in the local economy for blanc (white) wine production while the rest, namely 'Kotsifali', 'Liatiko' and 'Mantilari' for Noir (red) wines. The two cultivars employed as out-group were 'Moschato Samou' and 'Moschato Alexandrias': both white wine producers. Ampelography-based clustering grouped the majority of genotypes along cultivar-specific clusters. All three Moschato cultivars formed a distinct clade pointing to the non-autochthonous origin of 'Moschato Spinas'. A total of one hundred and thirteen (113) SSR alleles were amplified from thirteen (13) SSR loci, with an average number of alleles per locus equal to 10.23 revealing ample genetic polymorphism. The cumulative probability of identity was also quite high (3.389 × 10^-16). The overall observed heterozygosity was 0.837 while for twenty-nine of the examined genotypes, at least one private SSR allele was detected. The majority of genotypes were grouped in cultivar-specific clusters. The results of this paper pave the way for the certification and registration of clones of some of the most important wine-producing cultivars in Crete.

Keywords: Crete; SSR markers; Vitis vinifera L.; ampelographic descriptors.

Grants and funding

Field surveys, selection of materials and establishment of the Ampelouzos pre-basic collection was funded by projects Interreg IA and Interreg II (1998-2001) of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Foods, Greece to MN while ampelographic and molecular characterization were funded by project Regional Innovation Pole “i4Crete” action A7-“Cretan Vineyard” of the Greek Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) to MN and to AGD. “Cretan Vineyard” was coordinated by the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Heraklion, Crete, Greece