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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #390433
Research Project: Genetic Improvement of Blackberry, Red and Black Raspberry, Blueberry, and Strawberry

Location: Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit

Title: Novel Fusarium wilt resistance genes uncovered in natural and cultivated strawberry populations are found on three non-homoeologous chromosomes

Author
item PINCOT, DOMINIQUE - University Of California, Davis
item FELDMANN, MITCHELL - University Of California, Davis
item Hardigan, Michael
item VACHEV, MISHI - University Of California, Davis
item Henry, Peter
item GORDON, THOMAS - University Of California, Davis
item BJORNSON, M - University Of California, Davis
item RODRIGUEZ, ALAN - University Of California, Davis
item COBO, NICOLAS - Universidad De La Frontera
item FAMULA, R - University Of California, Davis
item COLE, GLENN - University Of California, Davis
item COAKER, GITTA - University Of California, Davis
item KNAPP, STEVEN - University Of California, Davis

Submitted to: Theoretical and Applied Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2022
Publication Date: 5/18/2022
Citation: Pincot, D.D., Feldmann, M.J., Hardigan, M.A., Vachev, M.V., Henry, P.M., Gordon, T.R., Bjornson, M., Rodriguez, A., Cobo, N., Famula, R., Cole, G.S., Coaker, G.L., Knapp, S.J. 2022. Novel Fusarium wilt resistance genes uncovered in natural and cultivated strawberry populations are found on three non-homoeologous chromosomes. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 135:2121-2145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-022-04102-2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-022-04102-2

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium is a devastating and widespread soil-borne pathogen that causes disease and economic losses in strawberry. Using a combination of genetic marker mapping and phasing, several race-specific disease resistance genes were identified and rapidly deployed via marker-assisted selection to develop strawberry cultivars resistant to Fusarium wilt.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium wilt, a soilborne disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, poses a significant threat to strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) production in many parts of the world. This pathogen causes wilting, collapse, and death in susceptible genotypes. We previously identified a dominant gene (FW1) on chromosome 2B that confers resistance to race 1 of the pathogen and hypothesized that gene-for-gene resistance to Fusarium wilt was widespread in strawberry. To explore this, a genetically diverse collection of heirloom and modern cultivars and wild octoploid ecotypes were screened for resistance to Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2. Here we show that resistance to both races is widespread and that resistance to race 1 is mediated by dominant genes (FW1, FW2, FW3, FW4, and FW5) on three non-homoeologous chromosomes (1A, 2B, and 6B). The resistance proteins encoded by these genes are not yet known; however, plausible candidates were identified that encode pattern recognition receptor or other proteins known to mediate gene-for-gene resistance in plants. High-throughput genotyping assays for SNPs in linkage disequilibrium with FW1-FW5 were developed to facilitate marker-assisted selection and accelerate the development of race 1 resistant cultivars. This study laid the foundation for identifying the genes encoded by FW1-FW5, in addition to exploring the genetics of resistance to race 2 and other races of the pathogen, as a precaution to averting a Fusarium wilt pandemic.