CHARACTERIZATION OF CHERIMOYA GERMPLASM BY ISOZYME MARKERS

Isozymes have been used as genetic markers to characterize more than 2 00 cherimoya and atemoya (A. cherimola x A. squamosa) accessions from the worldwide collection of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill) germplas m at the C.S.I.C. Estacion Experimental ''La Mayora'' (Spain). These a ccessions have been incorporated into this collection from both the or iginal species range (Peru and Ecuador) and the main producing regions (Bolivia, California, Chile, Israel, Madeira, Spain). We studied 13 e nzyme systems encoded by 23 loci. Fifteen loci displayed polymorphism. The allozymes identified allowed us to genotype the cultivars, to dif ferentiate 95% of them, and to address the possible origins of those c ultivars with identical isozyme profiles. The atemoya and cherimoya cu ltivars showed clear isozyme differences based on alleles specific to atemoya.