Preliminary clonal characterisation of Malvasía Volcánica using SSR markers in traditional Lanzarote vineyards

Abstract

Malvasía Volcánica is one of Lanzarote’s most representative white grape cultivars and is grown under demanding semi-arid conditions characterised by high solar radiation, volcanic soils and strong trade winds. Like most Vitis vinifera cultivars, it is propagated vegetatively, favouring the accumulation of somatic mutations and the development of clonal lineages with potentially different agronomic and oenological traits. This study conducted a preliminary molecular assessment of intravarietal diversity using microsatellite markers. Eighty-six accessions previously identified as Malvasía Volcánica were collected from traditional vineyards and analysed with 100 SSR markers. Genetic profiles were compared with international and in-house reference databases to confirm cultivar identity and detect clonal variants. The number, frequency and distribution of polymorphic loci were evaluated. A high level of intravarietal variation was observed: 93.46 % of samples differed from the predominant genetic profile at least once. Seventeen of the 100 markers were polymorphic and distinguished multiple clonal profiles, while some accessions accumulated up to five variations at different loci. These findings indicate the coexistence of several clonal lineages in traditional Lanzarote vineyards. This diversity is a valuable resource for future clonal-selection programmes focused on environmental adaptation, productivity, and wine quality, and should be complemented by agronomic and phenotypic evaluation.

References

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Cabildo of Lanzarote for supporting this study, particularly Ana Garrido for promoting the project, and Darío Pérez of the Regulatory Council of the Protected Designation of Origin Vinos de Lanzarote.