Genetic Diversity Assessment in Fig (Ficus carica L.) Cultivars

The common fig (Ficus carica L.) possesses a rich cultivation history spanning millennia across the Mediterranean and adjacent regions. Genetic diversity assessment in fig cultivars is essential for the conservation of local varieties, the optimisation of breeding programmes and the safeguarding of genetic resources under changing climatic and socio-economic conditions. Traditional analyses have relied on morphological descriptors and agro-morphological traits, but molecular marker technologies now enable precise characterisation of germplasm collections. Such approaches reveal levels of heterozygosity, patterns of genetic structure and the relationships among cultivars and wild relatives. Understanding allelic variation and gene flow among fig populations underpins efforts to identify unique genotypes, resolve cases of synonymy and homonymy and establish core collections. In addition, high-quality genome assemblies and comparative genomic studies are broadening insights into the evolutionary history of F. carica, its domestication events and the genetic basis of key traits such as fruit colour and reproductive biology. Together, these advances inform strategies for in situ and ex situ conservation, support sustainable production systems and facilitate the development of novel cultivars with enhanced resilience, yield and fruit quality.

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Genetic Diversity Assessment in Fig (Ficus carica L.) Cultivars publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetic diversity assessment in fig (ficus carica l.) cultivars across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Allele: Alternative form of a gene at a specific locus, contributing to genetic variation.

Microsatellite marker (SSR): Short tandem repeats of DNA sequences used to measure polymorphism among individuals.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD): Technique employing random primers to amplify genomic regions for fingerprinting diversity.

Heterozygosity: Proportion of individuals in a population that carry two different alleles at a locus.

Germplasm: Living genetic resources, such as seeds or tissues, maintained for breeding, conservation and research.

References

1. Advancing understanding of Ficus carica: a comprehensive genomic analysis reveals evolutionary patterns and metabolic pathway insights. Frontiers in Plant Science (2023).
2. Diversity analysis and genetic relationships among local Algerian fig cultivars (Ficus carica l.) using SSR markers. South African Journal of Botany (2018).
3. Analysis of genetic diversity of Tunisian caprifig (Ficus carica L.) accessions using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Hereditas (2015).