Genetic Structure of Wild and Cultivated Olives in the Central Mediterranean Basin

Abstract

On the basis of these results, we can assume that olive trees have undergone a different selection/domestication process in the insular and mainland regions. The degree of differentiation between oleasters and cultivated trees on the islands suggests that all cultivars have been introduced into these regions from the outside, while the Umbrian cultivars have originated either by selection from local oleasters or by direct introduction from other regions.

The complex history of the olive tree: from Late Quaternary diversification of Mediterranean lineages to primary domestication in the northern Levant

“…Although early exploitation and use of wild olive trees (namely oleasters) has been documented since the Neolithic from the Near East to Spain [2,6], it is usually accepted that the domestication of the olive tree-characterized by vegetative propagation of the best cultivated genotypes that may have preceded orchard establishmentbegan in the Near East approximately 6000 years ago [2,4]. Several genetic studies have, however, supported multiple origins of cultivars across the Mediterranean area [7][8][9][10][11][12], but it remains unclear whether this reflects secondary diversification or multiple independent primary events. Also, a centre of domestication for the olive tree in the Near East was questioned because the eastern Mediterranean oleaster populations have low genetic diversity compared with those of the western area [10][11][12][13].…”

Spatial genetic structure in the Laperrine's olive (Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei), a long-living tree from the central Saharan mountains

“…Studying partition of the genetic diversity between and within populations can help unravel the dynamic of gene flow (for example, Baldoni et al, 2006;Rubio de Casas et al, 2006;Belaj et al, 2007) and assess the importance of some geographic and biological features, such as habitat fragmentation, altitudinal distribution, clonal growth and lifespan of individuals. For instance, one can expect that desert barriers may have greatly limited gene flows between distant mountains and that small populations are more affected by stochastic effects (for example, genetic drift).…”

Botanical Description

“…In fact, it is considered by many authors as a forest tree. With the olive being the most longeve plant crop species, numerous ultramillennial still living sylvestris trees are present over all the European Mediterranean countries (Baldoni et al, 2006).…”