DNA tests available through the Rosbreed projects: A common strategy to enable DNA-informed breeding in Rosaceae

Authors: VANDERZANDE, STIJN - Washington State University; CAI, LICHUN - Michigan State University; CHAGNE, DAVID - New Zealand Institute Of Plant & Food Research; DA SILVA LINGE, CASSIA - Clemson University; FLEMING, MARGARET - Clemson University; GASIC, KSENIJA - Clemson University; LEE, SEONGHEE - University Of Florida; OH, YOUNGJAE - University Of Florida; SALINAS, NATALIA - University Of Florida; SASKI, CHRISTOPHER - Clemson University; WHITAKER, VANCE - University Of Florida; Zurn, Jason; IEZZONI, AMY - Michigan State University; PEACE, CAMERON - Washington State University; Bassil, Nahla

Submitted to: American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2019
Publication Date: 7/21/2019
Citation: Vanderzande, S., Cai, L., Chagne, D., Da Silva Linge, C., Fleming, M., Gasic, K., Lee, S., Oh, Y., Salinas, N., Saski, C., Whitaker, V., Zurn, J.D., Iezzoni, A., Peace, C., Bassil, N.V. 2019. DNA tests available through the Rosbreed projects: A common strategy to enable DNA-informed breeding in Rosaceae. American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting. American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting.

Interpretive Summary: Using DNA information to inform breeding decisions is very new in Rosaceae crops. The RosBREED project worked towards identifying genetic regions in apple, peach, cherry, strawberry, pear, rose, and blackberry that are associated with important horticultural traits. After these regions were identified new DNA-based tools were developed to help breeders develop new varieties. The strategy used to develop these tests is highly transferable to many horticultural crops and numerous DNA tests have been developed. The work presented show cases many of the tests available to breeders of these important fruit and ornamental crops.

Technical Abstract: DNA information has been suggested as a means to enhance accuracy, efficiency, creativity, and pace of new cultivar development in fruit breeding. To use DNA information, a thorough understanding of the genetic control of breeding-relevant traits is needed. A first, but by no means final, step towards such understanding is identifying genomic regions controlling the traits of interest. However, many studies do not pursue development of tools for DNA-informed breeding after the identification of such genomic regions. Before DNA-informed breeding is possible, an identified genomic region must be translated into a trait-predictive DNA test. To perform this translational step, the RosBREED projects developed a strategy that was applied across 8 Rosaceae crops (apple, peach, sweet cherry, tart cherry, strawberry, pear, rose, and blackberry). Here we present the strategy to develop DNA tests and what DNA tests have been developed, validated, and used in the RosBREED projects. The strategy for DNA test development involves designing assays to evaluate the region of interest, testing each assay on breeding-relevant individuals, tracing allelic inheritance, and disseminating assay details. Key points to include in the dissemination of the DNA tests are the target crop and trait(s) and targeted genomic region(s), marker type of the DNA test, proportion of phenotypic and genotypic variation explained by the DNA test, alleles identified by the DNA test and their effects, frequencies and distribution amongst common cultivars, and the technical details to run the DNA test. This strategy resulted in more than 50 developed DNA tests and 17 DNA tests under development for key traits including fruit quality traits such as fruit texture, fruit flavor, fruit skin coloration, and fruit size; productivity traits such as bloom timing and cross-compatibility; and disease resistance against major pathogens for each crop. These DNA tests are now available to use in DNA-informed fruit breeding and have already been adopted by many fruit breeding programs.