Vaccap update: a community-based project to develop advanced genetic and genomic tools to improve fruit quality in blueberry and cranberry

Authors: LORIZZO, MASSIMO - North Carolina State University; LILA, MARY ANN - North Carolina State University; PERKINS-VEAZIE, PENELOPE - North Carolina State University; POTTORFF, MARTI - North Carolina State University; FINN, CHAD - Former ARS Employee; VORSA, NICHOLI - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA); EDGER, PATRICK - Michigan State University; Bassil, Nahla; Luby, Claire; MUNOZ, PATRICIO - University Of Florida; Zalapa, Juan; GALLARDO, KARINA - Washington State University; ATUCHA, AMAYA - University Of Wisconsin; MAIN, DORRIE - Washington State University; GIONGO, LARA - Fondazione Edmund Mach

Submitted to: Plant Animal and Microbe Genomes Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2022
Publication Date: 1/13/2023
Citation: Lorizzo, M., Lila, M., Perkins-Veazie, P., Pottorff, M., Finn, C., Vorsa, N., Edger, P., Bassil, N.V., Luby, C.H., Munoz, P., Zalapa, J.E., Gallardo, K., Atucha, A., Main, D., Giongo, L. 2023. Vaccap update: a community-based project to develop advanced genetic and genomic tools to improve fruit quality in blueberry and cranberry. Plant Animal and Microbe Genomes Conference. Plant Animal Genome Conference, San Diego, CA, January 8-11,2022.

Interpretive Summary: We present an update on the Vaccinium CAP project, a nationwide transdisciplinary research approach to improve blueberry and cranberry breeding by enabling DNA-informed breeding to improve selection for desirable fruit characteristics.

Technical Abstract: Vaccinium crops (blueberry and cranberry) provide health benefits and vital contributions to the U.S. economy. Although production and consumption of these crops are expanding worldwide, U.S. Vaccinium industries face challenges to maintain profitability. Stakeholders have asserted that breeding cultivars with improved fruit quality, such as fruit firmness, flavor, shelf-life, and appearance is a high priority for sustainability. Vaccinium breeders routinely select for these traits, however, lack empirical data to assign a level of importance to specific fruit characteristics (FC) relative to consumer preferences, decay and deterioration during production, as well as processing and distribution. Breeders are also limited in tools to select for a higher quality fruit. The VacCAP project (funded by USDA-NIFA-SCRI) is a nationwide coordinated transdisciplinary research approach to develop marker-assisted selection capacity in blueberry and cranberry breeding programs to select for and pyramid FCs, enhancing fruit quality and market-value. The project objectives are to: 1) Establish genomic resources to enable effective association mapping studies in blueberry and cranberry; 2) Discover DNA markers and fruit characteristics in blueberry and cranberry that maximize industry profitability and match consumer preferences; 3) Deliver molecular and genetic resources to improve fruit quality traits in blueberry and cranberry that maximize industry profitability and match consumer preferences; 4) Assess the potential socio-economic impact of blueberry and cranberry fruit quality improvements on market demand; and 5) Engage U.S. Vaccinium stakeholder groups to transfer advanced phenomic and genomic tools to build an efficient cultivar development system. Preliminary results and updates on project activities will be presented.