Cross-transferability analysis of SSR markers developed from the American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) to other Vaccinium species of agricultural importance

Authors: RODRIGUEZ-BONILLA, LORRAINE - University Of Wisconsin; RHODE, JESSICA - University Of Wisconsin; MATUSINEC, DANIEL - University Of Wisconsin; Zalapa, Juan

Submitted to: Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/23/2019
Publication Date: 9/14/2019
Citation: Rodriguez-Bonilla, L., Rohde, J., Matusinec, D., Zalapa, J.E. 2019. Cross-transferability analysis of SSR markers developed from the American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) to other Vaccinium species of agricultural importance . Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 66:1713-1725(2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-019-00826-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-019-00826-1

Interpretive Summary: Cranberries are one of the few species in the genus Vaccinium that is utilized as a crop. However, the genus is composed of many understudied and underused species, as is the case of wild blueberries and cranberries, lingonberries, and deerberries. Many of these species are cross-compatible and possess an array of traits of high agronomical value that may be commercially exploited through hybridization breeding. We tested the trasferrability of 507 cranberry molecular markers on 16 different closely related Vaccinium species. We found 61 markers that consistently amplified and produced marker scores across all species tested. We tested the ability of the markers to discriminate species based on their genetic relationships for future use in genetic relationship studies. This study is important for cranberry breeding since other closely related species, mostly blueberries could be useful for breeding. As consumer demand is increasing and continually evolving for specialty products such as sweetened and dried cranberries (SDC), new varieties are needed that could be developed by hybridizing different species. Such hybrids will be easily detectable based on the 61 makers developed through this work. Breeders and consumers will benefit from the markers through the creation of high yield, better adaptated cranberries with increased fruit quality for processing and for human nutrition. The developed markers constitute a toolset for breeders for the development of Vaccinium hybrids and to allow the development of population genetic studies of poorly understood species.

Technical Abstract: Cranberry breeding is evolving as consumer demand increases for specialty products such as sweetened and dried cranberries (SDC). New varieties are needed with not only higher yield and better adaptations to biotic (e.g., fungal fruit rot) and abiotic (e.g., cold tolerance) stressors, but that also that possess increased fruit quality for processing and for human nutrition. Cranberries are one of the few species in the genus Vaccinium that is utilized as a crop. However, the genus is composed of many understudied and underused species, as is the case of wild blueberries and cranberries, lingonberries, and deerberries. Many of these species are cross compatible and possess an array of traits of high agronomical value that may be commercially exploited through intrasectional or intersectional interspecific breeding. In order to provide a toolset for Vaccinium breeders, we tested the cross transferability of 507 V. macrocarpon simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers on 16 different Vaccinium species. We found 61 SSR markers that consistently amplified and produced scorable bands across all 11 species tested. We tested the ability of the markers to discriminate species based on their genetic relationships for future use in phylogenetics. We were able to discriminate the different species and sections of the genus providing an insightful look about the genetic relationship of species in this genus. These markers represent a working set of SSRs to use for the development of Vaccinium interspecific hybrids and to allow the development of population genetic studies of poorly understood species.