Breeding rootstocks for Prunus species: Advances in genetic and genomics of peach and cherry as a model

Abstract

Prunus rootstock is an important choice in optimizing productivity of grafted cultivars. Nevertheless, many Prunus rootstocks are notoriously intolerant to hypoxia which is caused by waterlogging and/or heavy soils. There is no available information to help select Prunus rootstocks that are tolerant to stress conditions such as root hypoxia caused by excess moisture. Information from genetic maps has demonstrated a high level of synteny among Prunus species, and this suggests that they all share a similar genomic structure. It should be possible to identify the genetic determinants involved in tolerance to hypoxia and other traits in Prunus rootstocks by applying methods to identify regions of the genome involved in the expression of important traits; these have been developed mainly in peach which is the model species for the genus. Molecular markers that are tightly linked to major genes would be useful in marker-assisted selection (MAS) to optimize new rootstock selection. This article provides insight on the advances in the development of molecular markers, genetic maps, and gene identification in Prunus, mainly in peach; the aim is to provide a general approach for identifying the genetic determinants of hypoxia stress in rootstocks.

Rootstock Affects the Fruit Quality of ‘Early Bigi’ Sweet Cherries

“…Thus, choosing the most appropriate sweet cherry rootstock proved to be essential, the priority being given to their compatibility with the majority of cultivars in use as well as the adaptability to different agro-ecological conditions [20]. An ideal rootstock should provide a better anchorage and induce good tree survival, high annual yields and acceptable fruit color and size [21,22]. Rootstocks should also restrict the scion vigor in order to enable the tree to adapt to adverse soil conditions (pH, drought, texture, drainage) as well as to increase tolerance to biotic (nematodes, insects, diseases) and abiotic (e.g., water deficit, salinity, low temperatures) stress factors [23].…”

Insights into rootstock biology under low oxygen

“…For this, physiological and molecular markers are important in assisting rootstock breeding programs. These aspects are analyzed by Morales-Olmedo et al (2015) and Guajardo et al (2015), respectively.…”

“…Using information from genetic maps, a high level of synteny has been demonstrated among Prunus species, and this suggests that they all share a similar genomic structure. Applying methods to identify regions of the genome involved in the expression of important traits, Guajardo et al (2015) show that it is possible to identify genetic determinants involved in tolerance to abiotic stresses and other traits in Prunus rootstocks. In her article, Guajardo provides insights on the advances in the development of molecular markers for use in marker-assisted selection (MAS) in Prunus species.…”

Remote Sensing Energy Balance Model for the Assessment of Crop Evapotranspiration and Water Status in an Almond Rootstock Collection

“…However, most of these agronomic traits are a consequence of differences in the root system architecture or the hydraulic properties of a rootstock, which contribute in influencing the transpiration rate through their effects on the stem water potential ( stem ) and the control of stomatal conductance (Hernandez-Santana et al, 2016). On the other hand, the development of markers to help select individuals with traits that are complex to evaluate should speed up the development of new rootstocks that are resistant or tolerant to multiple biotic or abiotic stresses (Cantini et al, 2001;Arismendi et al, 2012;Jiménez et al, 2013;Guajardo et al, 2015). However, the types of methodology required for this remain fairly timeconsuming, costly and, in some cases, are still scarce.…”