Latest findings on detecting SNPs and genes linked to key breeding traits in strawberries

Out now! Genome-wide association studies in a diverse strawberry collection unveil loci controlling agronomic and fruit quality traits

Out now!

Genome-wide association studies in a diverse strawberry collection unveil loci controlling agronomic and fruit quality traitsPilar Muñoz, Francisco Javier Roldán-Guerra, Sujeet Verma, Mario Ruiz-Velázquez, Rocío Torreblanca, Nicolás Oiza, Cristina Castillejo, José F. Sánchez-Sevilla, Iraida Amaya

https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20509

Plain Language Summary

Breeding new strawberry cultivars is a lengthy procedure that requires the simultaneous improvement of many agronomic and fruit quality traits. DNA markers associated with traits of interest can be used instead of phenotyping to accelerate breeding programs. We phenotyped and genotyped a collection of 124 diverse strawberry accessions for 26 agronomic and fruit quality traits. Statistical analyses of trait variation revealed relationships among traits that highlighted the impact of plant breeding across the collection. We identified chromosomal regions and DNA markers associated with many important characters, including one for fruit firmness on chromosome 6A. We have shown that the observed variation in fruit firmness controlled by that region is caused by natural variation in the expression of the polygalacturonase gene FaPG1. We have developed a DNA marker assay associated with this gene that can be used to select cultivars with higher fruit firmness.