Genetic Improvements and Germplasm Resources for Fruit and Vegetable Plants

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetics, Genomics, Breeding, and Biotechnology (G2B2)".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2024 | Viewed by 6521

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: gene functional analysis; plant biotechnology; plant genetics and breeding; Brassica crops; clubroot resistance; gynoecium development

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: plant biotechnology; plant breeding; genetics and genomics; plant physiology; plant secondary metabolism; seed development; fruit quality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Genetic diversity is the cornerstone for crop improvement. The use of crop genetic resources in improvement programmes should be the ultimate objective of all activities in the field of germplasm resources. The collection, conservation, characterization, maintenance and utilization of plant genetic resources are essential components of crop improvement programs. The development of cultivars that combine disease and pest resistance with high yields and enhanced nutritional value is essential to meet increasing demands for quality foodstuff and industrial raw products. Genetic resource collections need to ensure that their limited resources are effectively used to conserve the diversity of horticultural plants, making them readily available to support horticultural plant genetic improvement. Recently, with the rapid development of experimental means of biotechnology, significant new research progress has been achieved in the fields of genetics, molecular biology, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics,metabolomics, phenomics and pangenomics. These approaches will advance and accelerate genetic improvements to facilitate the sustainable global production of these fruit and vegetable plants.

The purpose of this Special Issue “Genetic Improvements and Germplasm Resources for Fruit and Vegetable Plants” aims to present state-of-the-art techniques recently developed by researchers worldwide. Innovative articles on the genetic improvement and germplasm resources of any fruit and vegetable species are welcome in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Xiaolin Yu
Dr. Jietang Zhao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • germplasm diversity
  • germplasm resources
  • accurate identification
  • genetics improvement
  • breeding
  • genomic selection
  • gene editing
  • molecular breeding
  • gene transformation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1915 KiB  
Article
Intergeneric Transfer of Simple Sequence Repeat Molecular Markers for the Study of Chaenomeles as Fruit Crop Breeding Material
by Gunārs Lācis, Katrīna Kārkliņa, Toms Bartulsons and Edīte Kaufmane
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111233 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 298
Abstract
The genus Chaenomeles, part of the subfamily Maloideae within the Rosaceae family, comprises five recognized species and has long been valued for its ornamental qualities. However, the use of Chaenomeles japonica as a fruit crop is relatively recent, with its introduction into [...] Read more.
The genus Chaenomeles, part of the subfamily Maloideae within the Rosaceae family, comprises five recognized species and has long been valued for its ornamental qualities. However, the use of Chaenomeles japonica as a fruit crop is relatively recent, with its introduction into targeted breeding activities only occurring in the 1950s. Due to this, genetic information on the genus remains limited, and the application of molecular markers in crop breeding and further development have been narrow, relying primarily on non-specific marker applications in germplasm analysis. One potential solution is the transfer of molecular markers between genera, specifically from the related Maloideae genera. This study aimed to test the transferability of SSR markers developed for Malus to Chaenomeles, and to analyze the structure of available Chaenomeles germplasm. By including 74 Chaenomeles genotypes, 95 SSR markers originally developed for Malus were tested, with 25 proving effective for characterizing Chaenomeles germplasm. These adapted SSR markers successfully differentiated among Chaenomeles species, including Chaenomeles japonica, Chaenomeles speciosa, Chaenomeles cathayensis, and hybrids like Chaenomeles × superba and Chaenomeles × californica. The markers demonstrated high stability and repeatability, indicating their suitability for large-scale genetic research, species composition assessment, and breeding material evaluation. Given the limited studies on SSR markers in Chaenomeles, this research lays the foundation for further exploration, potentially expanding into the genetic diversity assessment and trait screening for breeding. As genetic research on Chaenomeles is still in its early stages, the development of additional markers will be crucial for advancing this crop. Full article
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12 pages, 2638 KiB  
Article
Plant Morphological and Leaf Anatomical Traits in Coffea arabica L. Cultivars Cropped in Gorongosa Mountain, Mozambique
by Niquisse José Alberto, Adésio Ferreira, Ana I. Ribeiro-Barros, Elisa Mitsuko Aoyama, Larícia Olária Emerick Silva, Miroslava Rakocevic, José Cochicho Ramalho and Fábio Luiz Partelli
Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10091002 - 21 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1005
Abstract
Studies on the genetic diversity of coffee trees are important, considering their role in the maximization of productivity and quality. However, the success of a breeding program depends on the existence of genetic variability in the population under study. Our study aimed to [...] Read more.
Studies on the genetic diversity of coffee trees are important, considering their role in the maximization of productivity and quality. However, the success of a breeding program depends on the existence of genetic variability in the population under study. Our study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of the morpho-agronomic and anatomical leaf traits of different cultivars of Coffea arabica grown in the Gorongosa mountain region, in the area of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. The experiment assessed nine coffee cultivars based on their morpho-agronomic and anatomical traits. The plagiotropic branch diameter, leaf dry mass, leaf mass per area, number of epidermal cells + stomata, and stomatal form indicated differences among the studied cultivars. Among the nine C. arabica cultivars grown in the mountainous region of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, low genetic variability in morpho-agronomic traits was detected, while the genetic variability in leaf anatomical traits was higher. The nine cultivars were segregated into two groups, one consisting of Catucaí Amarelo 2SL and Catuaí Vermelho IAC 81, and the second consisting of Catuaí Amarelo IAC 39, Catucaí Vermelho 19/8, Acauã, Catucaí 785-15, Costa Rica, Catimor 128, and Catuaí Vermelho IAC 44. The cultivar segregation into the two groups indicated that the morpho-anatomical traits can be considered during the selection stages in breeding programs. Full article
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26 pages, 5700 KiB  
Article
Phenotypic and Molecular-Markers-Based Assessment of Jamun (Syzygium cumini) Genotypes from Pakistan
by Safeer Uddin, Muhammad Jafar Jaskani, Zhanao Deng, Rizwana Maqbool, Summar Abbas Naqvi, Saroj Parajuli, Naseem Sharif, Abdul Rahman Saleem, Steven Ledon, Sufian Ikram, Iqrar Ahmad Khan and Waqar Shafqat
Horticulturae 2024, 10(8), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10080879 - 20 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1228
Abstract
Jamun plant displays enormous diversity throughout Pakistan, which necessitates its screening, evaluation, and validation to document elite genotypes having better traits for the benefit of the fruit industry and farmers. Surveys were made in natural Jamun habitats across Punjab, Pakistan, and genotypes were [...] Read more.
Jamun plant displays enormous diversity throughout Pakistan, which necessitates its screening, evaluation, and validation to document elite genotypes having better traits for the benefit of the fruit industry and farmers. Surveys were made in natural Jamun habitats across Punjab, Pakistan, and genotypes were marked based on visual diversity of trees and fruits. In total, 60 Jamun genotypes were selected for characterization based on phenotypic and genetic markers. Phenotypic characters related to trees, leaf, and flower along with fruit qualitative traits were assessed in situ. Results revealed significant diversity with high (>25%) coefficient of variance values and the first two components of correspondence analysis exhibited 41.71% variation among genotypes. A strong association was observed among traits like upright tree and round fruit shape (0.74), bluish-colored fruit and pinkish pulp (0.85), and elliptic-shaped fruit with low fruit waxiness (−0.72). Leaves of phenotypically characterized plants were brought to Wheat Biotechnology Lab., University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, where Jamun genotypes were investigated genetically using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 132 bands were scored, of which 108 were polymorphic, corresponding to almost 81% polymorphism among collected genotypes. High polymorphism information content values were observed against RAPD (0.389) and ISSR (0.457) markers. Genotypes were compared in relation to genetic markers, which exhibited that almost 86% of genetic variability was attributed to differences among accessions, while 14% of variation was due to differences between collections of different areas. Findings of this study confirmed wide phenotypic and genetic distinctness of Jamun in Pakistan that can aid breeders for marker-assisted selection and germplasm enhancement for future crop improvement programs. Full article
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16 pages, 4754 KiB  
Article
Development of SSRs Based on the Whole Genome and Screening of Bolting-Resistant SSR Marker in Brassica oleracea L.
by Tong Zhao, Liming Miao, Minghua Zou, Iqbal Hussain, Hongrui Yu, Jia Li, Nairan Sun, Lijun Kong, Shenyun Wang, Jianbin Li and Xiaolin Yu
Horticulturae 2024, 10(5), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050443 - 26 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1366
Abstract
Simple sequence repeats (SSRs), also known as microsatellites, stand out as the most crucial molecular markers in both animals and plants owing to their high polymorphism, extensive information content, ease of detection through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, and widespread distribution across the [...] Read more.
Simple sequence repeats (SSRs), also known as microsatellites, stand out as the most crucial molecular markers in both animals and plants owing to their high polymorphism, extensive information content, ease of detection through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, and widespread distribution across the genome. In this study, a total of 125,443 SSR loci were identified from the whole-genome sequence of B. oleracea, and 82,948 primer pairs for SSR have been designed. Furthermore, each primer pair is designated with a unique identifier (ranging from BolSSR00001 to BolSSR82984). Our findings indicated that certain markers within them could be transferred to other cruciferous crops. In addition, a total of 336 pairs of SSR primers have been used to screen the polymorphism between the bolting-resistant and bolting-easy gene pools. After the test of verification with F2 generation individual plants, we obtained an SSR dominant marker, BolSSR040196, linked with bolting-resistant locus in cabbage, and the genetic distance between this SSR marker and the bolting-resistant locus was 10.69 cM. Moreover, BolSSR040196 is located on the C05 chromosome with a CT motif, characterized by a repeat of 9 in bolting-easy plants and 11 in bolting-resistant plants. Haplotype analysis showed that the correct prediction rate reached 82.35%. The BolSSR040196 marker can be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding, offering a straightforward and efficient approach for bolting-resistant cabbage breeding in the future. Full article
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25 pages, 9859 KiB  
Article
Identification and Characterization of Relict Olive Varieties (Olea europaea L.) in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula
by Pilar Gago, Susana Boso, José-Luis Santiago and María-Carmen Martínez
Horticulturae 2024, 10(2), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10020175 - 15 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1933
Abstract
Olives (Olea europaea L.) are an important crop in the Mediterranean Basin, but it is not well-known that they have also been grown in other areas, such as Galicia in northwestern Spain. Although commercial production ended long ago in this peripheral growing [...] Read more.
Olives (Olea europaea L.) are an important crop in the Mediterranean Basin, but it is not well-known that they have also been grown in other areas, such as Galicia in northwestern Spain. Although commercial production ended long ago in this peripheral growing region, it remains home to olive resources that are well-adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions, providing a valuable but largely undocumented source of genetic variation. Following a survey of Galicia to locate examples of centuries-old olive trees, those detected were subjected to molecular characterization using a set of microsatellite markers, as well as full botanical characterization using the features established by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, along with others proposed by the present authors. These procedures allowed 11 undescribed varieties to be identified, which are new genetic resources that might be of use in olive improvement programs or studies of how the species adapts to different climates. The trees also underwent preliminary health checks, allowing disease-free specimens of each variety to be propagated. The addition of this material to the Community Plant Variety Office’s register of commercial varieties is underway. Full article
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