Effect of regeneration procedures on the genetic integrity of Brassica oleracea accessions

A Brassica oleracea collection of landraces collected in the northwest of Spain is kept at the Gene Bank placed at ‘Misión Biológica de Galicia’. Landraces of the collection are regenerated from time to time to restore the viability of the seed and to carry on field trials. The objective of this work is to study the effect of regeneration on the genetic integrity of three accessions of this collection, and to investigate the possible causes of the genetic changes observed. After characterizing the original populations and their following regenerated populations by 25 SSRs we concluded that there were significant changes in the population structure and the allelic frequency of individual loci due to the action of genetic drift, directional selection and probably assortative mating. Protocols to store and regenerate the accessions should be improved in order to avoid the effect of these forces in the genetic integrity of the collection. Research supported by the project PIE20064-01-089 and the Excma. Diputación Provincial de Pontevedra, Spain.