Molecular characterization of scarlet and gboma eggplants based on single nucleotide polymorphisms

Abstract

[EN] The common eggplant (Solanum melongena) is one of the most economically important specie for cultivated aubergine . The relationship between eggplant and it the wild relatives has been controversial. The domestication of the cultivated species has resulted in a narrow genetic base, and this difficults further improvements. Here we have characterized 48 accessions belonging to the cultivated scarlet eggplant (S. aethiopicum) and it wild ancestor (S. anguivi), the cultivated gboma eggplant (S. macrocarpon) and its wild ancestor (S. dasyphyllum), including also one accession of cultivated eggplant and one of its wild ancestor (S. incanum) using 39 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A total of 82 alleles were detected with an average of 2.34 alleles/locus. A good differentiation between the three groups corresponding to common, scarlet and gboma eggplants was obtained with a PCoA analysis. These results are of interest for the enhancement of genetic resources of eggplants.