Genetic characterization of Olea europaea L. germplasm in Northern Italy

The Emilia region, although located north of the traditional olive growing zone, is rich of areas endowed with a microclimate that allows the cultivation of this tree. The species has been present in the region, to different extents, for centuries, and this documented presence suggests the possibility of developing a quality olive industry, albeit confined to suitable environments. The olive germplasm we retrieved comes from old stands and trees, all more than a century old, which survived thanks to favorable environmental conditions. Genetic diversity was studied by utilizing the RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) technique on samples of young leaves collected in April-May. The accessions of Olea europaea L., collected in the region (provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Reggio Emilia), were compared with a number of better-known cultivars for oil and table grown in Central Italy. PCR amplification was carried out by utilizing 24 decamer primers, which according to available literature have proven highly polymorphic and reliable with olive cultivars. Results were analyzed by cluster analysis and Jaccard's dissimilarity coefficient. Our analysis reveals the presence of an interesting genetic diversity in the studied genotypes, and a marked