Genetic Diversity Inferred from Microsatellites of Wild Hops in Galicia (Spain)

Abstract

Molecular analysis of wild hops growing in the North-West of Spain (Galicia) show a high genetic diversity. Despite the highly clonal reproduction characteristic of hops, over 70 % of Galician accessions show a unique genotype. Oncor assignment genetic analysis using a representative hop reference collection of cultivars, wild European and wild American hop plants confirmed that Galician hops are highly similar to wild hops growing in other parts of Europe and, therefore, to most of the cultivated hops. Bayesian analysis using Structure showed the existence of only two different genetic groups in our dataset: (i) wild American hops, and (ii) wild European hops including cultivars. No genetic signature of wild American germoplasm was found, which is coincident with the area historical records and also allows us to reject the hypothesis of these hops being the result of escapes from the Spanish main hop growing area, León, sited southeast of Galicia.