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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #396891
Research Project: Genetic Improvement of Citrus for Enhanced Resistance to Huanglongbing Disease and Other Stresses

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Genome-Wide association study of healthful flavonoids among diverse mandarin accessions

Author
item Mattia, Matthew
item DU, DONGLIANG - University Of Florida
item YU, QIBIN - University Of Florida
item KAHN, TRACY - University Of California, Riverside
item ROOSE, MIKEAL - University Of California, Riverside
item HIRAOKA, YOKO - City Of Riverside
item WANG, YU - University Of Florida
item MUNOZ, PATRICIO - University Of Florida
item GIMITTER, FREDRICK - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/17/2022
Publication Date: 1/25/2022
Citation: Mattia, M.R., Du, D., Yu, Q., Kahn, T.L., Roose, M.L., Hiraoka, Y., Wang, Y., Munoz, P.T., Gimitter, F.G. 2022. Genome-Wide association study of healthful flavonoids among diverse mandarin accessions. Plants. 11(3):317. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11030317.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11030317

Interpretive Summary: Mandarins have many unique flavonoids with documented health benefits and that help to prevent chronic human diseases. Flavonoids are difficult to measure and cannot be observed without the use of specialized equipment; consequently, citrus breeders have not used flavonoid contents to develop cultivars with increased benefits for human health or plant diseases. In this study, peel, pulp, and seed samples collected from many mandarins and their hybrids were analyzed for the presence of selected flavonoids with documented human health benefits. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to identify genetic markers associated with flavonoids in these mandarin accessions, and there were 420 genetic markers found to be associated with 28 compounds in peel, pulp, or seed samples. Four genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were identified. Mandarin cultivars bred with increased flavonoid content may provide value to growers and consumers.

Technical Abstract: Mandarins have many unique flavonoids with documented health benefits and that help to prevent chronic human diseases. Flavonoids are difficult to measure and cannot be phenotyped without the use of specialized equipment; consequently, citrus breeders have not used flavonoid contents as selection criteria to develop cultivars with increased benefits for human health or increased tolerance to diseases. In this study, peel, pulp, and seed samples collected from many mandarin accessions and their hybrids were analyzed for the presence of selected flavonoids with documented human health benefits. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to identify SNPs associated with biosynthesis of flavonoids in these mandarin accessions, and there were 420 significant SNPs were found to be associated with 28 compounds in peel, pulp, or seed samples. Four candidate genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were identified by enrichment analysis. SNPs that were found to be associated with compounds in pulp samples have the potential to be used as markers to select mandarins with improved phytonutrient content to benefit human health. Mandarin cultivars bred with increased flavonoid content may provide value to growers and consumers.