The Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture (IHSM) La Mayora, formed by the CSIC and the University of Malaga (UMA), has recently participated in a study on the diversity of lychee and other related wild species in Vietnam.
The study, entitled 'Analysis of the genetic diversity of lychees (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) and relatives from wild forests in the Sapindaceae of Vietnam using microsatellites', has been published in the journal 'Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution'.
Iñaki Hormaza, doctor in Plant Biology from the University of California, research professor of the Higher Council of Scientific Research and Head of the Department of Subtropical Fruit Growing, as well as honorary member of the Botanical Society of America, has participated in the study as representative of the IHSM La Mayora.
Hormaza, who is one of the biggest connoisseurs of lychee cultivation in Spain, is focusing his scientific work on finding solutions to the existing and potential problems that arise in the sustainable and effective use of genetic resources. The idea is to optimize the production process of subtropical and temperate fruit trees.
As part of the research, specific molecular markers have been developed and surveys have been carried out in different areas of Vietnam. The results obtained are very useful to optimize the preservation of the Vietnamese lychee germplasm, so that it can be used to improve the crop's production. The study has also demonstrated the usefulness of microsatellites for the identification, analysis of genetic diversity and germplasm preservation of plant species.
