Author
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Simon, Charles |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2006 Publication Date: 3/15/2006 Citation: Simon, C.J. 2006. Molecular characterization of the us apple germplasm collection.. Meeting Abstract. 3rd International Rosaceae Genomics Conference. Interpretive Summary: Not Applicable Technical Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) coordinates a system of about 30 germplasm repositories that each focus on specific crop collections. The collection of apple (M. Xdomestica) germplasm is maintained at the repository in Geneva, NY, on the satellite campus of Cornell University. This collection presently consists of 4179 accessions of Malus spanning at least 50 species. Our core mission for this collection includes the acquisition, maintenance, characterization and distribution of this diversity of Malus. Until now, characterization of accessions in the collection has been performed using as many as 154 categories of descriptors which include pomological, pathological, anatomical, phenological, and similar categories. For these types of descriptors there are presently over 95,000 independent observations recorded in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN: www.ars-grin.gov) database, making this a very well characterized collection. Nonetheless, we are presently beginning to extend our characterization efforts for this collection into the level of molecular genetics and comparative genomics. For this work, we will, at least initially, focus on using a core set of microsatellite markers. The specific selection of markers to be used is presently under consideration, and input is solicited from this viewer audience on this matter. Key criteria for desirable markers are that they amplify stably and widely across diverse Malus germplasm and that their localization in the Malus genome is not clustered. Beyond that, it would be desirable for the markers to be associated with traits of interest, and that is where viewer input for marker recommendations is requested. The initial scope of this effort is to describe all accessions with eight markers, with the likely extension toward twenty markers per accession. Deposition of the results will be in the GRIN database. |
