Towards a catalog of pome tree architecture genes: the draft ‘d’Anjou’ genome (Pyrus communis L.) [abstract]

Authors: ZHANG, HUITING - Washington State University; Eilers, Jon; Honaas, Loren; Waite, Jessica

Submitted to: American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2021
Publication Date: 8/5/2021
Citation: Zhang, H., Eilers, J.R., Honaas, L.A., Waite, J.M. 2021. Towards a catalog of pome tree architecture genes: the draft ‘d’Anjou’ genome (Pyrus communis L.) [abstract]. American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting. 56(9):S55.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Dwarfing rootstocks helped revolutionize the apple industry. Cost-effective, high density planting systems allowed more uniform crops, leading to increased yields and consistently higher fruit quality. However, European pear growers in the US have not widely adopted high density planting systems due in part to the unavailability of dwarfing rootstocks. The genetic mechanisms underlying plant architecture are poorly understood in pome fruits, creating a major hurdle in developing reliable pear dwarfing rootstocks. Curating a list of architecture genes across various pome fruit species and cultivars can serve as an important first step towards identifying key genetic factors for these desirable traits. Here we present a draft genome of P. communis ‘d’Anjou’ and an improved annotation of the latest P. communis ‘Bartlett’ genome. To study gene families involved in tree architecture in European pear and other rosaceous species, we developed a workflow using a collection of bioinformatic tools towards curation of gene families of interest across genotypes. Our workflow can be adopted for new cultivars and other gene families. This work will allow us to lay the groundwork for future functional studies in pear architecture.