The First Genetic Map and Positions of Major Fruit Trait Loci of Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)

Abstract

Albeit extensive cultivation of bitter melon both as vegetable and medicine in many countries of Asia, Africa, and South America, no serious efforts have been made for genetic and breeding studies on this 'orphan' crop. In contrast to popular cucurbits, it lacks a genetic linkage map as required for genomic depiction and precise breeding. We report here on the construction of the first genetic linkage map of bitter melon using a set of 146 F2 progenies derived from an inter-botanical variety cross between Taiwan White, Momordica charantia var. charantia, and CBM12, M. charantia var. muricata. This map consists of 108 AFLP markers and five qualitative trait loci dispersed over 11 linkage groups spanning a total distance of 3060.7 cM. The five qualitative traits mapped include fruit color, fruit luster, fruit surface structure, stigma color, and seed color; all of which exhibited monogenic segregation except seed color which showed digenic (9:7) mode of inheritance. Besides, twelve quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling five polygenic fruit traits including length, diameter, weight, number, and yield were detected on five linkage groups that individually explained 11.1 to 39.7% of the corresponding total phenotypic variance. This map will be useful in marker-assisted breeding of these fruit traits and future mapping of genes/QTLs controlling phytomedicines content exhibiting contrasting variation between the parents.

A RAD-Based Genetic Map for Anchoring Scaffold Sequences and Identifying QTLs in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia)

“…The construction of a genetic map is a common approach to detect QTLs and conduct gene mapping. The first genetic map of bitter gourd was constructed based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers ( Kole et al, 2012 ). A year later, the second genetic map was constructed, and it consisted of combined markers including simple sequence repeats (SSR), AFLP, and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers ( Wang and Xiang, 2013 ).…”

Construction of an integrated genetic map for Capsicum baccatum L.

“…In addition, a larger population (203 individuals) was used, giving greater reliability to the data. Kole et al (2012) constructed the first genetic map for bitter melon (Momordica charantia) by mapping an F 2 population consisting of 146 individuals, solely based on 108 AFLP markers, covering 3060.7 cM of the genome. Lanteri et al (2006) developed a reference genetic map for artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) in which a population consisting of 94 F 1 individuals was used, based on 59 different primers (SSRs, AFLPs, and SSAPs), and covering 2569.9 cM of the genome.…”

Mapping and QTL Analysis of Gynoecy and Earliness in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) Using Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) Technology

“…To date, there is no precise report on QTL mapping for any trait in bitter gourd and only few studies have been reported. Kole et al (2012) mapped five of each qualitative and five quantitative trait loci by using AFLP markers; Wang and Xiang (2013) did the genetic linkage map for 13 horticulture traits by RAD-seq analysis; Matsumura et al (2014) identified one SNP marker, GTFL-1 linked to the gynoecious locus at a distance of 5.46 cM and Cui et al (2018) identified SNP markers relate to sex expression, fruit epidermal structure and fruit color. In our present study, we applied high throughput GBS technology with type-II restriction endonuclease ApeKI (GCWGC) ( Elshire et al, 2011 ) to identify SNPs in F 2 and F 2:3 segregated populations for economically important traits like, sex and earliness in bitter gourd.…”

“…The first genetic map and positions of major fruit trait loci of bitter melon were worked out by Kole et al (2012) . An extensive genetic linkage map was constructed for bitter gourd via the study of F 2:3 progenies derived from two cultivated inbred lines ( Wang and Xiang, 2013 ).…”