Investigating the origin of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars using chloroplast microsatellites

this study, 75 hazelnut accessions from Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Iran were analysed using 13 chloroplast microsatellite to investigate the origin and diffusion of hazelnut cultivars. Four loci were polymorphic and identified a total of four different chlorotypes. The most frequent chlorotype A was present in all groups but thier frequency was not uniform in geographical groups. An increase in chlorotype number and diversity from Spain eastward to Italy, Turkey, and Iran was observed. Results suggest that some diffusionof cultivars occurred from East to West and that hazelnut cultivation was not introduced from the eastern Mediterranean basin into Spain and southern Italy by Greeks or Arabs. Moreover, the results indicate considerable exchange of germplasm between Italy and Spain, probably by the Romans. Hazelnut appears to have been domesticated independently in 3 areas: Mediterranean basin, Turkey, and Iran.