Pre-breeding for resistance to Verticillium wilt in olive: Fishing in the wild relative gene pool

This study aimed to identify new sources of resistance to Verticillium wilt in olive. We evaluated various types of genotypes: wild olive trees (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris), genotypes belonging to related subspecie (Olea europaea subsp. guanchica) and genotypes coming from crosses between Picual cultivar and wild olive trees. Fifty-six genotypes were inoculated by dipping roots and then screened under controlled conditions to test their resistance to a highly virulent Defoliating isolate of Verticillium dahliae. Picual (susceptible) and Frantoio (resistant) were control cultivars. Wide variability and significant differences were obtained in the evaluated disease parameters. The Relative Susceptibility Index (RSI), summarizing the disease parameters, was used for final classification of genotypes. Thirteen genotypes were categorized as resistant: eight wild olives from different locations, two genotypes belonging to subsp. guanchica populations from Canary Islands and three genotypes obtained from one of the crosses Picual x wild. The identification of high levels of resistance to V. dahliae among wild olive genotypes may be helpful for the management of this disease. The resistant genotypes could be used as rootstocks for susceptible olive cultivars or parents in future breeding programs.