RESUMEN
Microsatellites have many desirable marker properties and have been increasingly used in crop plants in genetic diversity studies. Here we report on the characterisation of microsatellite markers and on their use for the determination of genetic identities and the assessment of genetic variability among accessions from a germplasm collection of hop. Thirty-two polymorphic alleles were found in the 55 diploid genotypes, with an average number of eight alleles (3.4 effective alleles) for four microsatellite loci. Calculated polymorphic information content values classified three loci as informative markers and two loci as suitable for mapping. The average observed heterozygosity was 0.7 and the common probability of identical genotypes was 3.271 x 10(-4). An additional locus, amplified by one primer pair, was confirmed by segregation analysis of two crosses. The locus discovered was heterozygous, with a null allele in the segregating population. The same range of alleles was detected in nine triploid and five tetraploid hop genotypes. Cultivar heterozygosity varied among all 69 accessions, with only one cultivar being homozygous at four loci. Microsatellite allele polymorphisms distinguished 81% of all genotypes; the same allelic profile was found mainly in clonally selected cultivars. Cultivar-specific alleles were found in some genotypes, as well as a specific distribution of alleles in geographically distinct hop germplasms. The genetic relationship among 41 hop accessions was compared on the basis of microsatellite and AFLP polymorphisms. Genetic similarity dendrograms showed low correlation between the two marker systems. The microsatellite dendrogram grouped genetically related accessions reasonably well, while the AFLP dendrogram showed good clustering of closely related accessions and, additionally, separated two geographically distinct hop germplasms. The results of microsatellite and AFLP analysis are discussed from the point of view of the applicability of the two marker systems for different aspects of germplasm evaluation.