Articles
Marker-assisted breeding in the IRTA peach and almond scion breeding programs
Article number
1412_44
Pages
291 – 298
Language
English
Abstract
The rapid advances and cost reductions in the field of genomics are allowing the integration of marker-assisted breeding into many breeding programs for different species.
In the IRTA’s peach and almond scion breeding programs, marker assisted breeding has focused in three main areas: marker assisted selection (MAS), marker assisted introgression (MAI) and resynthesis.
MAS has been implemented for different Mendelian traits including the subacid fruit taste (D), fruit shape (S), slow ripening (SR), pollen sterility (Ps) and fruit skin color (H), in peach, and self-compatibility (Sf), late blooming (Lb) and sweet kernel (Sk), in almond.
In both species additional markers are in continuous development to fulfill the aims of the breeding programs.
MAI is a breeding strategy used to increase the genetic variability of a species by introgressing new traits from closely related compatible species in a short period of time.
A proof of concept has been recently described using a cross between peach and almond, allowing the development of the first collection of introgression lines (ILs) in a tree species.
Two of these lines have been used to introgress into peach the almond alleles of two relevant genes, a peach powdery mildew resistance gene (Vr3) and another conferring fruit red flesh (DBF2). The peach alleles of other two genes identified in this cross, the almond fruit type (Alf) and the juicy (Jui), are being introgressed from peach to almond to develop resilient almond type trees producing peach-like fruits.
In addition, another collection of ILs with introgressions from the wild species Prunus davidiana into the peach background, is under construction.
In these materials a new peach powdery mildew resistance gene has been identified.
In parallel new interspecific crosses between peach and almond cultivars with peach and almond wild relatives are being developed.
Finally, the resynthesis strategy, a marker -based strategy which consists in the development of new cultivars very similar to already existing successful cultivars with a few improved characteristics, is also being applied in both peach and almond.
Altogether highlight the relevance of the use of natural variation coupled with genomic tools for successful breeding programs.
In the IRTA’s peach and almond scion breeding programs, marker assisted breeding has focused in three main areas: marker assisted selection (MAS), marker assisted introgression (MAI) and resynthesis.
MAS has been implemented for different Mendelian traits including the subacid fruit taste (D), fruit shape (S), slow ripening (SR), pollen sterility (Ps) and fruit skin color (H), in peach, and self-compatibility (Sf), late blooming (Lb) and sweet kernel (Sk), in almond.
In both species additional markers are in continuous development to fulfill the aims of the breeding programs.
MAI is a breeding strategy used to increase the genetic variability of a species by introgressing new traits from closely related compatible species in a short period of time.
A proof of concept has been recently described using a cross between peach and almond, allowing the development of the first collection of introgression lines (ILs) in a tree species.
Two of these lines have been used to introgress into peach the almond alleles of two relevant genes, a peach powdery mildew resistance gene (Vr3) and another conferring fruit red flesh (DBF2). The peach alleles of other two genes identified in this cross, the almond fruit type (Alf) and the juicy (Jui), are being introgressed from peach to almond to develop resilient almond type trees producing peach-like fruits.
In addition, another collection of ILs with introgressions from the wild species Prunus davidiana into the peach background, is under construction.
In these materials a new peach powdery mildew resistance gene has been identified.
In parallel new interspecific crosses between peach and almond cultivars with peach and almond wild relatives are being developed.
Finally, the resynthesis strategy, a marker -based strategy which consists in the development of new cultivars very similar to already existing successful cultivars with a few improved characteristics, is also being applied in both peach and almond.
Altogether highlight the relevance of the use of natural variation coupled with genomic tools for successful breeding programs.
Authors
F. Pérez de los Cobos, I. Kandylas, N. Zaracho, I. Batlle, G. Reig, L. Asín, S. Alegre, W. Howad, M.J. Aranzana, P. Arús, I. Eduardo
Keywords
Prunus persica, P. dulcis, molecular markers, introgression, resynthesis
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