Articles
Exploiting the Swiss Apple Core Collection for breeding tomorrows apple cultivars
Article number
1384_27
Pages
207 – 214
Language
English
Abstract
Plant genetic resources represent a valuable reservoir of genetic diversity that breeding programs can exploit.
However, the number of inventoried accessions is usually large, and preservation and detailed description of all of them is laborious and expensive.
Core collections represent a compact form to preserve the genetic diversity of crop species.
In addition to mere preservation, a detailed description of the phenotypic diversity within core collections allows identifying accession-specific traits to be used efficiently in breeding programs.
Replication of core collections at different locations can unravel genotype-by-environment interactions, which are relevant to understanding how climatic differences affect relevant traits.
Especially in apple breeding, where genetic diversity in the few commercially successful cultivars is low, broadening the genetic base is a crucial element to adapt cultivars to new challenges such as environmental changes or the occurrence of new pests and diseases as well as abiotic stress.
To describe Swiss apple genetic resources and support apple breeding, the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture initiated the establishment of a Swiss Apple Core Collection.
It consists of 330 old Swiss apple cultivars and accessions as well as 27 references.
Three trees per genotype were planted at three climatically different locations each.
The description of a broad range of traits, with the help of the latest phenotyping technologies, made it possible to identify variations for traits that will become important in the future.
Priority was given to a detailed description of fruit quality features and tree performance.
In a second project phase, attention will be given to diseases and abiotic stress tolerance.
Combining high quality phenotypic information with genome-wide sequence data will allow identifying loci of interest and developing molecular markers associated with these.
Including these traits in apple breeding programs will further enhance the development of diverse, resilient apple cultivars.
However, the number of inventoried accessions is usually large, and preservation and detailed description of all of them is laborious and expensive.
Core collections represent a compact form to preserve the genetic diversity of crop species.
In addition to mere preservation, a detailed description of the phenotypic diversity within core collections allows identifying accession-specific traits to be used efficiently in breeding programs.
Replication of core collections at different locations can unravel genotype-by-environment interactions, which are relevant to understanding how climatic differences affect relevant traits.
Especially in apple breeding, where genetic diversity in the few commercially successful cultivars is low, broadening the genetic base is a crucial element to adapt cultivars to new challenges such as environmental changes or the occurrence of new pests and diseases as well as abiotic stress.
To describe Swiss apple genetic resources and support apple breeding, the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture initiated the establishment of a Swiss Apple Core Collection.
It consists of 330 old Swiss apple cultivars and accessions as well as 27 references.
Three trees per genotype were planted at three climatically different locations each.
The description of a broad range of traits, with the help of the latest phenotyping technologies, made it possible to identify variations for traits that will become important in the future.
Priority was given to a detailed description of fruit quality features and tree performance.
In a second project phase, attention will be given to diseases and abiotic stress tolerance.
Combining high quality phenotypic information with genome-wide sequence data will allow identifying loci of interest and developing molecular markers associated with these.
Including these traits in apple breeding programs will further enhance the development of diverse, resilient apple cultivars.
Authors
G.A.L. Broggini, R. Kölliker, M. Kellerhals, B. Studer
Keywords
apple, breeding, core collection, genotype/environment interactions
Online Articles (68)