Morphological Characterization of Endangered Wild Grapevine Vitis Viniferassp. Silvestrisin Eastern Turkey

Abstract

Vitis viniferaL. ssp. silvestris(Gmelin) Hegi selections from three regions in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey) were morphologically characterized in this study. The wild populations were typically located in hilly areas and on the sides of valleys. Samples from six populations including 26 individual, distinctive Vitis viniferassp. silvestrisvines were observed in 2010 by ampelographic evaluation using 35 OIV descriptors (OIV, 1983), modified by Project GENRES 081 (2001). These descriptors from the OIV list include young shoot, shoot, mature leaf, woody shoot, flower sexual organ and berry descriptors. Three hermaphroditic individuals were found, highlighting the differences between the wild and cultivated grapevine. The plants were grouped into four groups, using a cluster dendrogram, that generally matched the original location of each of the individual vines. Morphological characterization of wild grapevine Vitis viniferassp. silvestrisin eastern Turkey is the first step in preserving this valuable genetic resource.