Lessons learned from DNA-based tool development and use in a genebank

In 2002, a molecular genetics laboratory was established at the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR), in Corvallis, Oregon. This facility houses the US national genebank for strawberry (Fragaria L.). A main objective of the molecular genetics laboratory is to characterize Fragaria genetic resources. Plants from this collection have been analyzed using DNA-based tools for species identification, phylogenetic analyses, diversity assessment, identity and parentage confirmation, and development and validation of markers associated with traits of economic importance. The development and application of microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, and DNA sequences in characterizing these strawberry genetic resources will be described. We will also discuss the lessons learned from these studies and future plans for molecular characterization in Fragaria.