Genetic Pool of the Cultivated Pear Tree (Pyrus spp.) in the Canary Islands (Spain), Studied Using SSR Molecular Markers

The Canary Islands have an enormous richness of crops and varieties, many them traditional or local, selected for decades by farmers based on the most desirable characteristics. Pear trees were introduced to presumably in first years after their Conquest 15th century, reaching a high degree diversification. In this study, determine genetic identity genus Pyrus conservation purposes, 266 pear accessions from islands Tenerife, La Palma Gran Canaria characterized with 18 SSRs, addition 190 genotypes Galicia, Asturias, wild commercial varieties as references detect possible synonyms, relationships structure. We identified 310 unique genotypes, both diploid putative triploid, 120 present only (39%, 50% clonality). population structure was analyzed STRUCTURE 2.3.4 software (Pritchard Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA). dendrogram, using Jaccard coefficient principal component analysis (PCoA), separated into stable groups. One these groups formed Canarian at lower altitudes, showing adaptation low chilling requirements significant positive correlation (0.432, p < 0.01). This study germplasm reflects importance group local cultivars need given they are adapted peculiar climatic conditions number chill units.