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Morphological and agronomical describers are traditionally used in plant characterization. However, the usage of these describers have some limitations such as susceptibility to abiotic and biotic stress and environmental factors. Furthermore, the describers are not stable over time and many can only be evaluated during the adult phase of the plants, which requires time and physical space. Molecular markers offer numerous advantages compared to the conventional alternatives based on phenotype: they are stable and detectable in all vegetable tissues, and are independent of the environment and development phase. One of the main advantages of the use of molecular markers is the time reduction in the identification of genetic diversity among the studied subjects, as the genotypes may even be described for the seed or seedling phase. Many countries have already adopted molecular markers to identify olive cultivars more accurately. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic identity of eight olive accessions supposedly belonging to cultivar Arbequina by using microsatellite (SSR) and Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers. One accession corresponding to the cultivar was also incorporated into the analysis as a reference genotype. The molecular marker data were analyzed on the software GENALEX6. The markers generated an accumulated PI and PE of 1.26 x 10-6 and 0.949, respectively. The results supported the hypothesis that all accessions belong to the cultivar Arbequina, and the markers can therefore be applied to other varieties of olive species. Descritores morfológicos e agronômicos são tradicionalmente utilizados na caracterização de plantas. Apesar de recomendado, o emprego destes descritores apresenta algumas limitações como a influência a estresses abióticos e bióticos e aos efeitos do ambiente. Além disso, não são estáveis ao longo do tempo e muitos só podem ser avaliados durante a fase adulta das plantas, o que requer tempo e espaço físico para as avaliações. Os marcadores moleculares oferecem numerosas vantagens relativamente às alternativas convencionais baseadas no fenótipo, pois são estáveis e detectáveis em todos os tecidos vegetais, independente do ambiente e fase de desenvolvimento e uma das principais vantagens da utilização destes é proporcionar a redução do tempo na identificação da diversidade genética entre os indivíduos trabalhados, podendo ser avaliadas genótipos ainda na fase de semente ou de plântula. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a identidade genética de oito acessos de oliveira supostamente pertencentes a cultivar Arbequina usando microssatélites (SSR) e Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) marcadores. Um acesso correspondente a cultivar também foi incorporado na análise como o genótipo de referência. Os dados de marcadores moleculares foram analisados com o software GENALEX 6. Como resultado, os marcadores SSR geraram um PI acumulada e PE de 1,26 x 10- 6 e 0,949, respectivamente. Os resultados suportam a hipótese de que todos os acessos pertencem a cultivar Arbequina, e, por conseguinte, esses marcadores podem ser aplicados em situações semelhantes em outras variedades de espécies de oliveira. &nbsp

9 pages; 4 figures, Colletotrichum acutatum is a cosmopolitan and damaging plant pathogen of temperate, subtropical, and tropical fruits and causes anthracnose on olive (Olea europaea L.). Three olive cultivars showing a variable response to infection by C. acutatum were selected to a preliminary study of pathogen development. Fruit samples, from susceptible and tolerant cultivars, were taken at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 192 h after inoculation for a microscopic and histological study of the infection and colonization process. The aim of this study was to compare the infection process: conidial germination, germ tube and appressorium formation, hyphal growth, and mesocarp colonization in susceptible and tolerant olive cultivars as a condition for further exploration of disease development, which is required to develop cultivars with improved resistance to anthracnose. The rate of mesocarp colonization differed between the susceptible and tolerant cultivars, and both intracellular hemibiotrophy and subcuticular intramural necrotrophy were observed. Hemibiotrophic infection predominated in the moderately tolerant cultivar., Project ‘POCTI/AGR/57817/2004’, ‘SFRH/BD/25384/2005’ from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, ‘Proyecto de Excelencia- AGR649’ from the Junta de Andalucía

Olea europaea L. is one of the most economically important crops in the Mediterranean area, and known for having large genetic variability. In order to assess the genetic diversity, DNA from 41 olive cultivars, present in the protected denomination of origin (PDO) region of Tras-os-Montes, was screened using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and microsatellite (SSR) markers. Eleven ISSR primers amplified 135 reproducible bands of which 108 were polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic bands detected by ISSR was 79%. The highest number of polymorphic bands was obtained by the use of primers UBC807 (15) and UBC809 (16). A total of 67 alleles were detected by six SSR primers, with an average of 11 alleles per primer. The number of alleles per locus ranged from five (ssrOeUaDCA05) to 15 (ssrOeUaDCA03). The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.219 (ssrOeUaDCA05) to 0.900 (ssrOeUaDCA04), while the expected heterozygosity varied between 0.426 (ssrOeUaDCA05) and 0.887 (ssrOeUaDCA03). The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.392 (ssrOeUaDCA05) to 0.863 (ssrOeUaDCA03). The collection of primers selected gave a reasonable number of amplification products for the genetic diversity analysis. Based on the results, the genetic diversity among 41 olive cultivars is discussed. This study reveals the great importance of guaranteeing the differentiation of olive cultivars and their application for certification purposes.

SummaryGenetic variability among 27 clones of the Portuguese olive cultivar ‘Verdeal-Transmontana’ was investigated using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR), and microsatellite (SSR) markers. The ten RAPD primers amplified 153 reproducible fragments, of which 26 were polymorphic. The ten ISSR primers amplified 173 fragments, of which 65 were polymorphic. The four SSR markers identified 14 alleles (3.5 alleles per locus). DNA fingerprints were used to assess the genetic variability between clones. The clones fell into two major genotypic groups, with one cluster containing almost all the selections from the Alfândega da Fe sub-Region, along with some from the Vila Flor sub-Region and two out of three clones from the Foz Coa sub-Region. The second major cluster contained, almost exclusively, selections from the Vila Flor sub-Region.

Thirty Portuguese and eight foreign olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars were screened using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Twenty RAPD primers amplified 301 reproducible bands of which 262 were polymorphic; and 17 ISSR primers amplified 204 bands of which 180 were polymorphic. The percentage of polymorphic bands detected by ISSR and RAPD was similar (88 and 87%, respectively). The genetic variability observed was similar in the Portuguese and foreign olive cultivars. Seven ISSR and 12 RAPD primers were able to distinguish individually all 38 olive cultivars. Twenty specific molecular markers are now available to be converted into Sequence Characterised Amplified Region (SCAR) markers. Relationships among Portuguese and foreign cultivars is discussed.

Starting from semihardwood branches of peach and plum rootstocks (Prunus cerasifera E.) cv. MRS2/5, plum rootstocks (Prunus cerasifera × P. salicina) × (P. cerasifera × P. persica) cv. Ishtarà and olive tree (Olea europaea L.) cv. Frantoio, cuttings were collected and treated with 0 mg.L-1 and 2500 mg.L-1 of indolebutyric acid (IBA) by immersion in the base of the cuttings. After 60 days of planting, the cultivars MRS 2/5, Ishtarà and Frantoio presented a significative difference with relation to the rooting induction by application of the indolebutyric acid (27.5, 47.5 and 41.25 %, respectively), inducing a higher number of roots per cutting without at the same time significantly increasing the length of the roots themselves. The levels of ascorbate and dehydroascorbate in the rooted and non-rooted cuttings of the three cultivars were determined. These parameters varied in function of the consistency of the cuttings from each species, but showed a positive correlation between the increase of the rooting and the increase of the ascorbate in the reduced form. A partir de ramos semilenhosos de porta-enxerto de pêssego e ameixa (Prunus cerasifera E.) cv. MRS 2/5, porta-enxerto de ameixa (Prunus cerasifera x P. salicina) x (P. cerasifera x P. persica) cv. Ishtarà e oliveira (Olea europaea L.) cv. Frantoio, foram confeccionadas estacas que foram tratadas com 0 mg.L-1 e 2,500 mg.L-1 de ácido indol butírico (IBA) por imersão na base das estacas. Após 60 dias de plantio, as cultivares MRS 2/5, Ishtarà e Frantoio apresentaram diferença significativa com relação à indução do enraizamento pela aplicação de ácido indol butírico (27.5, 47.5 e 41.25 %, respectivamente), promovendo um maior número de raízes por estaca, sem no entanto aumentar significativamente o comprimento das mesmas. Nas estacas enraizadas das três cultivares, os níveis de ascorbato variaram em decorrência da consistência da estaca de cada espécie, todavia demostram uma correlação positiva entre o aumento do enraizamento e o aumento dos níveis de ascorbato na forma reduzida.