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Research Project: Management of Temperate-Adapted Fruit, Nut, and Specialty Crop Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: National Clonal Germplasm Repository

Title: Development of a genetic framework to improve the efficiency of bioactive delivery from blueberry

Author
item MENGIST, MOLLA - North Carolina State University
item BURTCH, HALEY - North Carolina State University
item DEBELO, HAWI - North Carolina State University
item POTTORFF, MARTI - North Carolina State University
item BOSTAN, HAMED - North Carolina State University
item NUNN, CANDACE - North Carolina State University
item CORBIN, SYDNEY - North Carolina State University
item KAY, COLLIN - North Carolina State University
item Bassil, Nahla
item Hummer, Kim
item LILA, MARY ANN - North Carolina State University
item FERRUZZI, MARIO - North Carolina State University
item IORIZZO, MASSIMO - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/23/2020
Publication Date: 10/14/2020
Citation: Mengist, M.F., Burtch, H., Debelo, H., Pottorff, M., Bostan, H., Nunn, C., Corbin, S., Kay, C.D., Bassil, N.V., Hummer, K.E., Lila, M., Ferruzzi, M.G., Iorizzo, M. 2020. Development of a genetic framework to improve the efficiency of bioactive delivery from blueberry. Scientific Reports. 10. Article 17311. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74280-w.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74280-w

Interpretive Summary: We applied a new chemical digestion model that can do many samples at once to determine the bioaccessibility of important chemicals belonging to the phenolic compounds in blueberry fruit. Results revealed statistically signi'cant differences between the types of blueberries, years, and type by year interaction for relative and absolute availability of these phytochemicals. We calculated the heritability of genes for these nutritional compounds. We found low to moderate inheritances of relative and absolute bioaccessibility. This suggested that the environment in which the blueberries were grown as well as genetic factors could control the amounts and presence of these phytochemicals. The study also identified accessions that have high relative and absolute values. Overall, combining the availability of the phenolics with genetic and genomic approaches will enable the identification of blueberry types and the factors influencing these traits in blueberry.

Technical Abstract: In the present study, we applied a novel high-throughput in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model to phenotype bioaccessibility of phenolics in a diverse blueberry germplasm collection. Results revealed signi'cant (P<0.05) differences between accessions, years, and accession by year interaction for relative and absolute bioaccessibility of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Broad sense heritability estimates revealed low to moderate inheritances of relative and absolute bioaccessibility, suggesting that besides environmental variables, genetics factors could control bioaccessibility of phenolics. Acylated anthocyanins had significantly higher relative bioaccessibility than non-acylated anthocyanins. Correlation analysis indicated that relative bioaccessibility did not show significant association with fruit quality or raw concentration of metabolites. The study also identified accessions that have high relative and absolute bioaccessibility values. Overall, combining the bioaccessibility of phenolics with genetic and genomic approaches will enable the identification of genotypes and genetic factors influencing these traits in blueberry.