Molecular screening of domestic apple cultivars for scab resistance genes in Greece

Apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis has the most destructive effects among other phytopathogens in apple crops all over the world. The integration of resistance genes from local and domestic cultivars is a prerequisite for the efficient control of this disease and is a main target in efficient breeding approaches. Across Greece, many domestic apple cultivars are reported without deep knowledge about the presence and diversity of scab resistance genes. In this study, the presence of five resistance genes (Rvi2, Rvi4, Rvi6, Rvi8 and Rvi11) was evaluated across twenty local and domestic apple genotypes, employing twelve molecular markers closely linked to known apple scab resistance loci. Significant differences and polymorphisms among the tested cultivars were detected suggesting that some of them carry a sufficient number of resistance genes. This observed genetic diversity could be exploited in ongoing breeding approaches as a natural source of polygenic resistance against apple scab.