Using general and specific combining ability to further advance strawberry (Fragaria sp.) breeding

Authors: MATHEY, MEGAN - Oregon State University; MOOKERJEE, SONALI - Michigan State University; MAHONEY, LISE - University Of New Hampshire; Finn, Chad; HANCOCK, JAMES - Michigan State University; SERCE, SEDAT - Mustafa Kemal University; DAVIS, TOM - University Of New Hampshire; STEWART, PHILLIP - Driscoll'S; WHITAKER, VANCE - University Of Florida; JAMIESON, ANDREW - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada; Bassil, Nahla; AMAYA, IRAIDA - Research And Training Institute For Agricultural And Fisheries Of Andalusia, Ifapa; DENOYES, BEATRICE - Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique (INRA); Hummer, Kim; SARGENT, DANIEL - Iasma Research Center; VAN DE WEGAND, ERIC - Wageningen University; IEZZONI, AMY - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2013
Publication Date: 9/1/2014
Citation: Mathey, M.M., Mookerjee, S., Mahoney, L., Finn, C.E., Hancock, J.F., Serce, S., Davis, T., Stewart, P., Whitaker, V., Jamieson, A.R., Bassil, N.V., Amaya, I., Denoyes, B., Hummer, K.E., Sargent, D., van de Wegand, E., Iezzoni, A.F. 2014. Using general and specific combining ability to further advance strawberry (Fragaria sp.) breeding. Acta Horticulturae. 1049:193-200.

Interpretive Summary: Strawberry is one of the five fruit crops included in the USDA-funded multi-institutional and trans-disciplinary project, “RosBREED: Enabling Marker-Assisted Breeding in Rosaceae”. A group of 900 genotypes and seedlings from 40 crosses representing the breadth of strawberry's diversity and encompassing founders used in breeding the domesticated strawberry were planted and evaluated in Oregon, California, New Hampshire, Michigan and Florida. Individual native species and cultivars were included along with 10 progeny from 36 of the crosses of genotypes representing eastern and western North American and European June-bearing and ever bearing cultivars. Over 14 fruit quality traits have been studied, as well as remontancy, truss size, peduncle length, crop estimate, plant architecture, and disease resistance. The evaluation conducted in the first growing season showed considerable variability amongst the genotypes and the locations for all of the characteristics. General and specific combining ability variance components were determined from the populations in order to provide breeders with guidance on the most effective breeding strategies for incorporating the superior traits from this germplasm into their programs.

Technical Abstract: Strawberry is one of the five fruit crops included in the USDA-funded multi-institutionaland trans-disciplinary project, “RosBREED: Enabling Marker-Assisted Breeding in Rosaceae”. A Crop Reference Set (CRS) was developed of 900 genotypes and seedlings from 40 crosses representing the breadth of relevant diversity and encompassing founders used in breeding the domesticated strawberry. Individual native species and cultivar genotypes were included along with 10 progeny from 36 of the crosses of genotypes representing eastern and western North American and European short day and remontant cultivars. This CRS has been phenotyped in five U.S. states. Over 14 fruit quality traits have been studied, as well as remontancy, truss size, peduncle length, crop estimate, plant architecture, and disease resistance. The phenotyping conducted in the first growing season showed considerable variability amongst the genotypes and the locations for all of the characteristics. General and specific combining ability variance components were determined from the populations in order to provide breeders with guidance on the most effective breeding strategies for incorporating the superior traits from this germplasm into their programs.