Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) varietal assortment and evolution in the Marche region (central Italy)

Italy is one of the richest countries in terms of grapevine varietal assortment, and the Marche region in central Italy has an ancient winegrowing tradition. Increasing interest in autochthonous grapevine varieties prompted efforts to recover and identify local minor germplasm also in this region, and to search for pedigree relationships and determine the evolution of varietal assortment. In the present study this was done using nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers and SNP markers from the Vitis18kSNP chip. Eighteen new genotypes were found, of which seventeen belonged to well-known, less known and even unknown vines found to be specific to the Marche region. The rearranged pedigree highlighted the complex intertwining relationships between Marche varieties. Second-degree relationships were also derived. Some minor Marche varieties have increased the number of parent-offspring related members of Garganega, Sangiovese, Crepolino/Visparola and Sciaccarello, which are varieties already recognised as founders or recurrent parents of many Italian cultivars. Crepolino/Visparola was shown to be a key variety in the evolution of the Marche varietal assortment, having played the role of parent and grandparent, as explained by the presence of this genotype in the region in ancient times. Surprisingly, Semidano, a well-known Sardinian variety, played a clear role as parent or grandparent of three minor Marche varieties, testifying to its presence in central Italy in ancient times. Incrocio Bruni 54 was confirmed as an offspring of Sauvignon and Verdicchio, as declared by the breeder. The parentage of Lacrima was completed: this variety was found to be a spontaneous cross between Nera Rada and Aleatico. A dendrogram of genetic similarity clearly resembled the groups defined with the pedigree reconstruction and it gave an indication of the genetic similarity of the varieties excluded from the strictest parentage links.