Articles
Breeding strategies for new resilient cultivars for strawberry production in changing climates and cultivation systems
Article number
1465_12
Pages
79 – 88
Language
English
Abstract
To ensure the sustainability of strawberry production and promote its expansion into new areas, it is necessary to develop more resilient cultivars suited to low-impact cultivation systems that reduce input usage, particularly pesticides and water, while simultaneously improving quality for target consumers.
In this context, it is essential to develop new breeding strategies based on the use of genetic resources and the creation of pre-breeding materials through the application of advanced genotyping, phenotyping, metabolomic, and sensory analysis techniques for an accurate assessment of fruit quality.
The selection of new genetic material must primarily focus on identifying cultivars with maximum adaptability to reduced use of key cultivation factors, particularly water consumption.
This strategy underpins the EU Horizon2020 BreedingValue project, which is having a significant impact on the future of strawberry cultivation and related industries in Europe.
Breeding activities can be enhanced by integrating new biotechnology techniques (NBT), which offer results unattainable with traditional techniques alone and, over time, may also gain acceptance from consumers.
Regarding quality, it will be increasingly important to enhance consumers’ sensory perception of the product, associating these characteristics with information about the health benefits derived from the fruit’s nutritional composition.
Additionally, new scenarios are emerging due to substantial investments by large seed companies aiming to acquire market shares through the introduction of new seed-produced cultivars, a highly advantageous method as it ensures plants with high sanitary guarantees.
In this context, traditional nursery companies will need to find solutions to remain competitive, and the only viable path will be the adoption of advanced micropropagation techniques.
In any case, the strawberry breeding sector will become increasingly competitive, requiring constant updates of techniques and careful analysis of new opportunities offered by the market and emerging technologies.
In this context, it is essential to develop new breeding strategies based on the use of genetic resources and the creation of pre-breeding materials through the application of advanced genotyping, phenotyping, metabolomic, and sensory analysis techniques for an accurate assessment of fruit quality.
The selection of new genetic material must primarily focus on identifying cultivars with maximum adaptability to reduced use of key cultivation factors, particularly water consumption.
This strategy underpins the EU Horizon2020 BreedingValue project, which is having a significant impact on the future of strawberry cultivation and related industries in Europe.
Breeding activities can be enhanced by integrating new biotechnology techniques (NBT), which offer results unattainable with traditional techniques alone and, over time, may also gain acceptance from consumers.
Regarding quality, it will be increasingly important to enhance consumers’ sensory perception of the product, associating these characteristics with information about the health benefits derived from the fruit’s nutritional composition.
Additionally, new scenarios are emerging due to substantial investments by large seed companies aiming to acquire market shares through the introduction of new seed-produced cultivars, a highly advantageous method as it ensures plants with high sanitary guarantees.
In this context, traditional nursery companies will need to find solutions to remain competitive, and the only viable path will be the adoption of advanced micropropagation techniques.
In any case, the strawberry breeding sector will become increasingly competitive, requiring constant updates of techniques and careful analysis of new opportunities offered by the market and emerging technologies.
Publication
Authors
B. Mezzetti
Keywords
genetic resources, breeding programs, omics, resilience, quality
Groups involved
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Working Group Strawberry Culture and Management
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
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