Determination of the Progenitors and the Genetic Stability of the Artichoke Cultivar SALUSCHOCKE® Using Molecular Markers

SUMMARY

The registered artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. flavescens Wilk.; synonym to Cynara scolymus L.) cultivar Blanc amélioré/SALUSCHOCKE® of Salus-Haus was developed by open pollination of four selected populations (M1-M4) in a polycross design. Objectives of this study were to determine the progenitors, to evaluate the genetic stability of SALUSCHOCKE in advanced generations and to assess the genetic similarity within and between artichoke populations with the aid of RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) markers. DNA of 31 single plants was extracted and tested with 57 RAPD primers. The synthetic variety SALUSCHOCKE was most similar to the populations M1 and M3 and very different from population M4. Little genetic variation was found between single plants of the F₄ generation and between the F₁ and F₄ generation of the variety SALUSCHOCKE, indicating homogeneity and genetic stability across generations.

KEYWORDS:

• Cynara
• artichoke breeding
• RAPD
• genetic similarity