CONTRIBUTION OF ALLOZYME POLYMORPHISM TO VARIETAL IDENTIFICATION IN THE OLIVE TREE (OLEA-EUROPAEA L)

Allozyme polymorphism of leaf proteins was used to characterize 47 olive varieties widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin. Twenty-one alleles were observed at 9 polymorphic loci corresponding to 7 enzyme systems. Thirty-five of the 47 varieties could be identified by one of the 38 multiloci genotypes observed. Six groups of Varieties were constituted using multivariate analysis of the multiloci genotypes. A single group gathered together varieties from a specific geographic area, namely France. Ten of the 11 varieties from North Africa were grouped together. Most of the groups contained varieties from various geographic origins, which was assumed to be the result of the occurrence of numerous human migrations which favoured olive dispersion throughout the Mediterranean basin. A combination of enzyme markers with morphological, physiological and agronomic characteristics may provide a consistent systematic classification of olive varieties. The possibility of using allozyme markers for olive breeding is also suggested.