HortForum: Leveraging Molecular Markers in Fruit Tree Breeding: From Promise to Reality

ISHS Secretariat
HortForum: Leveraging Molecular Markers in Fruit Tree Breeding: From Promise to Reality

Third episode in a new ISHS Horticulture Debate series called "Hort Forum"

Video recording of this webinar is now available for on-demand viewing
Leveraging Molecular Markers in Fruit Tree Breeding: From Promise to Reality

Speaker: Ksenija Gasic, Professor, Clemson University, South Carolina (USA)

  • Organizers: Ted DeJong, UC Davis (USA) and George Manganaris, Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus)
  • Moderator: François Laurens, President of ISHS (France)
  • Panelists: Tom Gradziel, UC Davis (USA), Richard Volz, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research (New Zealand), Marco Cirilli, University of Milan (Italy) and Jose Quero, INRAE Bordeaux (France)
Tuesday, 28th November 2023, Hours: 17:00 – 19:00 Central European Time (CET)

Fruit tree breeding has undergone a significant transformation with the emergence of genomics technologies. The availability of extensive genomic resources, such as whole genome sequences, genetic maps, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genetic markers, has created expectations for DNA-assisted breeding potential to accelerate the development of new cultivars with desirable traits. DNA-informed breeding is now the norm in many tree fruit breeding programs, successfully increasing the efficiency of trait selection and gene pyramiding while shortening the time required for new cultivar development. While genetic-based breeding has been successful in improving fruit quality and biotic stress resistance in tree fruits, the application of genomic-assisted breeding is still in its early stages and presents new opportunities for future breeding efforts. An overview of the status and future prospects of genomics-enabled breeding efforts in tree fruit crops will be presented. The challenges and opportunities associated with the use of DNA information in tree fruit breeding, including the need to better understand the genetic architecture of important traits and the development of reliable and efficient genomic selection methods will be discussed. Examples of DNA-informed breeding use from RosBREED project will be presented for all breeding stages, including pre-breeding for disease resistance, parental and seedling selection, and elite selection advancement. Finally, a perspective on the future directions of tree fruit breeding in the genomic era and how genomics-enabled breeding can contribute to the sustainable production of high-quality cultivars and their adaptation to new climatic scenarios will be provided.

For more details and to register go to: https://www.ishs.org/hortforum

Leveraging Molecular Markers in Fruit Tree Breeding: From Promise to Reality

Posted November 13, 2023 - updated December 5, 2023
Tags: 
molecular markers
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HortForum