Globe artichoke is an important vegetable of the Mediterranean basin. Its primary gene pool (GP1) consists of wild types ofCynara cardunculus. Crosses between the wild types and the cultivars (artichoke and cardoon) are fully fertile. In accordance, analyses of molecular markers revealed high genetic identity between the wild types and the cultivars. Hence, all these taxa are grouped together as conspecific varieties withinC.cardunculus. Several other wildCynaraspecies thrive in the Mediterranean basin. Of these,C. syriaca,C. algarbiensis,C. baeticaandC. humiliswere tested and found to be part of the secondary gene pool (GP2) of artichoke, as they were rather difficult to cross with either wild or cultivatedC. cardunculusand the few hybrids obtained were semi-sterile. In accordance, molecular genetic markers suggest that these wildCynaraspecies indeed diverged fromC. cardunculus. Four additionalCynaraspecies thrive in the Mediterranean basin, namelyC. cornigera,C. cyrenaica,C. tournefortiiandC. makrisii. There is no information on the crossability of these four species with artichoke, but molecular markers suggest that they may also belong to the secondary gene pool of the crop. Considering some attractive, variable characteristics of each of the GP2 species, such as earliness, albinism, dwarfism and diverse flavors, these wild species might be of great interest for artichoke breeders.
Genetic structure and diversity analysis of the primary gene pool of chickpea using SSR markers