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Genetic characterization of European potato onion (Allium cepa var Aggregatum G. Don) collections

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Abstract

Potato onions (Allium cepa var aggregatum G. Don) are multiplying or aggregating onions, very similar to shallots and have been historically cultivated throughout Europe. Currently in Northern Europe they are maintained in home gardens and ex situ field collections. Potato onions are primarily vegetatively propagated, however in Estonia, near Lake Peipsi, this species has been propagated by seed since the seventeenth century. There is increasing interest in Northern Europe in utilizing this germplasm in organic and/or sustainable farming systems. The genetic diversity and relationship between and within European potato onion collections is unclear. From historical records it is known that cultivation, exchange and trade of potato onion has occurred throughout Europe for hundreds of years. This study utilised molecular markers to assess genetic diversity, duplication of genotypes and relationships among and between Nordic, Baltic, Czech and Croatian potato onion collections. Of 264 accessions, 80 catalogued as unique had identical genotypes with one or more other accessions, and are putative duplicates. The genetic diversity within two Estonian sexually propagated accessions was comparable to that found in all of the vegetatively propagated accessions. Accessions from the Nordic countries grouped together genetically, as did Latvian and Lithuanian accessions. Croatian accessions were genetically separated. These genetic relationships suggest historical movement of potato onion germplasm in North-Eastern Europe. The results, in conjunction with other passport and characterization data, can assist in the development of potato onion core collections, facilitating the conservation and utilization of valuable potato onion genetic resources.

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Data availability

Germplasm is available via respective genebanks, genotype data available upon request from corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support was obtained through the European Cooperative Program for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) activity Grant “SafeAlliDiv”. HS acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, institutional support MZE-RO0418. IMV acknowledges support from Norwegian Agriculture Agency genetic resources grants. SGB acknowledges support of Ministry of Agriculture of Republic of Croatia and project KK.01.1.1.01.0005 ‘Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding’.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetic Resource Centre, Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, 111 Rigas St, Salaspils, 2169, Latvia

    Dainis Ruņǵis

  2. The Archaeological Research Laboratory, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

    Matti W. Leino

  3. Institute of Horticulture, Graudu iela 1, Ceriņi, Krimūnu pag., Dobele, 3701, Latvia

    Līga Lepse

  4. Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, K. Huguesa 8, 52440, Poreč, Croatia

    Smiljana Goreta Ban

  5. Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding, Svetošimunska 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Smiljana Goreta Ban

  6. The Swedish National Gene Bank for Vegetatively Propagated Horticultural Crops, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53, Alnarp, Sweden

    Erik de Vahl

  7. Estonian Crop Research Institute (ECRI), J. Aamisepa 1, 48309, Jõgeva, Estonia

    Külli Annamaa

  8. Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Priit Põldma

  9. Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4A, 20520, Turku, Finland

    Terhi Suojala-Ahlfors

  10. Department of Vegetable Breeding and Technology, Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, 54333, Kaunas, Babtai, Lithuania

    Danguolė Juškevičienė

  11. Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN), Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Chris Kik

  12. Department of Horticulture, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), P.O. Box 115, N-1431, Ås, Norway

    Ingunn M. Vågen

  13. Crop Research Institute, Vegetables and Special Crops, Šlechtitelů 29, 783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic

    Helena Stavělíková

Authors
  1. Dainis Ruņǵis
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  2. Matti W. Leino
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  3. Līga Lepse
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  4. Smiljana Goreta Ban
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  5. Erik de Vahl
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  6. Külli Annamaa
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  7. Priit Põldma
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  8. Terhi Suojala-Ahlfors
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  9. Danguolė Juškevičienė
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  10. Chris Kik
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  11. Ingunn M. Vågen
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  12. Helena Stavělíková
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Contributions

HS and LL developed the concept of the research. LL, SGB, EdV, KA, PP, TSA, DJ, IMV, HS provided plant material and morphological data. DR performed the genotyping and prepared the draft manuscript with input from CK and MWL. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analysis and manuscript. HS coordinated and supervised the research.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dainis Ruņǵis.

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Not applicable. The authors do not declare any financial or other conflicts. Funding sources are given above.

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Not applicable. Research subjects were not human or animal.

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Not applicable. Research subjects were not human or animal.

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Not applicable. No software or other code was developed as part of this research.

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Ruņǵis, D., Leino, M.W., Lepse, L. et al. Genetic characterization of European potato onion (Allium cepa var Aggregatum G. Don) collections. Genet Resour Crop Evol 68, 657–665 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-020-01014-2

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