MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND GENETIC VARIABILITY OF THE LOCAL LINE ‘HORCAL’ ONION

In the area bordering the provinces of Palencia and Burgos a local cultivar of onion known as ‘Horcal’ is traditionally grown.
It is the fundamental ingredient in the production of the Burgos black pudding sausage.
The study began in 2006 and was finalized in 2008. The task was commenced characterizing morphologically the bulbs of this cultivar.
The evaluation was made with seed samples taken from various growers.
Thirty-four (34) samples were evaluated, along with two commercial culti-vars: ‘Babosa’ and ‘Dulce de Fuentes’. Sufficient morphological uniformity was observed among the bulbs of the ‘Horcal’ onion grown in this area.
The main morphological characteristics which define the bulb are: large size, the weight is more than 300 g and shaped quite plain.
From these 34 samples 13 were used to study the genetic variability.
The technique of AFLP molecular markers was used, extracting the genomic DNA of germinated seeds.
A cluster analysis was conducted with the data obtained, applying the UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetical Averages) algorithm, using the Jaccard coefficient.
It was possible to observe two well distinguished groups with a 44.5% similarity, one with four samples and another of nine samples.
The results are very coincidental and complementary from those ob¬tained in the morphological characterization, and although a great uniformity was not observed, the morphological variability found could explain that a genetic similarity of almost 50% exists.

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): III International Symposium on Plant Genetic Resources

A. Fombellida, F. Garrido, F. López, M. Collado, M. Godoy

‘Horcal’ onion, morphologic, polymorphism, AFLP

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.918.75