ARS | Publication request: GENETIC DIVERSITY AMONG WORLD HOP ACCESSIONS

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: October 1, 2002
Publication Date: March 20, 2004
Citation: HENNING, J.A., STEINER, J.J., HUMMER, K.E. GENETIC DIVERSITY AMONG WORLD HOP ACCESSIONS. CROP SCIENCE. 2004. v.44. p. 411-417.

Interpretive Summary: Maintaining the genetic diversity of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) is one of the goals of the USDA-ARS. Newly acquired accessions must be categorized into heterotic groups or classifications prior to use. This paper sets out the framework for which the classification of hops should be based upon. Using chemical and morphological data from historical archives, we identified three distinct groups: (i) European, (ii) Wild North American, and (iii) Hybrids. The European pool was divided into English and Continental European subgroups distinguished by their -acids and CoH contents. The Hybrid pool was divided into five subgroups distinguished by their geographic origins that were separated by yield and cohumulone content while the wild North American group existed as a separate group. The information presented in our study will help categorize newly imported accessions and will help in identifying closely related or similar accessions.

Technical Abstract: Classifying groups of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) accessions held in the USDA-ARS world collection is vital towards categorizing newly imported accessions and identifying closely related varieties. The objective of this study was to identify hop germplasm diversity pools based on morphological and chemical data. Eight hop quality characteristics including yield were obtained from historical databases for 129 hop accessions. Three distinct genetic diversity pools were identified and named: (i) European, (ii) Wild North American, and (iii) Hybrids. The European pool was divided into English and Continental European subgroups distinguished by their -acids and CoH contents. The Hybrid pool was divided into five subgroups distinguished by their geographic origins that were separated by yield and cohumulone content (r = 0.92; P = 0.05). The information presented in our study will help categorize newly imported accessions and will help in identifying closely related or similar accessions.