Microsatellite markers for cultivar identification

Microsatellites or SSR are polymorphic DNA markers, because of their codominant inheritance according to the Mendelian laws. The PCR technic could automatised and the results are easily changeable between laboratories.

A few years later than the technic were published, it started to be widely used in case of cultivars, which have small differences between the morphological patterns. The grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most prevalent horticultural plants in the world.

The traditional cultivar distinction based on ampelographic methods but in case of clones or cultivars, which have close relation it could be gives false results. In some cases, there are too small morphological differences to make separation.

Microsatellites gave the key to make distinction without the particular ampelographic investigations. The most account of the technic is that it not necessary to wait for some periods of the year as it important in case of ampelographic methods. Young leaf or shoot tip, roots and berry could give information a about the identity of the plant or cultivar.

SSRs are used routinley for cultivar identification now. Our department cooperates with and offers servecies to grape growers, who are interested in the exact identification of the grape cultivars they are working with.