Assessing pheno- and genotypic differentiation of old olive trees in correlation with environmental parameters in Israel and the Palestinian Authority

几千年来对橄榄树的选择导致了东地中海当地品种适应不同环境条件的生长。我们建议用多学科的方法来研究以色列和巴勒斯坦地方嫁接的老橄榄树的表型和基因多样性及其与环境参数的关系。砧木和接穗都将受到调查。表型变异性将使用形态描述符、物候和橄榄油的化学图谱进行评估。对非生物和生物胁迫的耐受性将在普通的园艺实验中使用生根插条来确定。分子标记(核微卫星和AFLP)将用于检测遗传变异。土壤、地理、地形和气候参数将被用来寻找表型、基因型和环境之间的相关性。预计这种相关性将被发现，并可被解释为选择砧木和/或接穗的结果。分子数据集将对选定的地点进行检查。识别适应特定环境条件的基因类型是了解橄榄树适应的遗传基础的第一步。最终，这可能会导致识别出在压力相关适应特征中发挥作用的基因。

Selection of olive trees over thousands of years has resulted in East Mediterranean local varieties adapted to growth under various environmental conditions. We here suggest a multidisciplinary approach to study the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of old local Israeli and Palestinian grafted landrace olive trees and their relationship to environmental parameters. Both rootstocks and scions will be investigated. Phenotypic variability will be assessed using morphological descriptors, phenology and chemical profiling of olive oil. Tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress will be determined in common garden experiments using rooted cuttings. Molecular markers (nuclear microsatellites and AFLPs) will be used to detect genetic variation. Edaphic, geographical, topographical and climatic parameters will be used to look for correlations between phenotypes, genotypes and environment. It is expected that such correlations will be found and can be interpreted as the result of selection of rootstocks and/or scions. The molecular data sets will be examined for selected loci.The identification of genotypes adapted to particular environmental conditions is a first step to understanding the genetic basis of adaptation in olive trees. Eventually this may lead to the identification of genes that play a role in stress related adaptive traits.