Towards smart and sustainable development of modern berry cultivars in Europe

Abstract

Fresh berries are a popular and important component of the human diet. The demand for high-quality berries and sustainable production methods is increasing globally, challenging breeders to develop modern berry cultivars that fulfill all desired characteristics. Since 1994, research projects have characterized genetic resources, developed modern tools for high-throughput screening, and published data in publicly available repositories. However, the key findings of different disciplines are rarely linked together and only a limited range of traits and genotypes has been investigated. The Horizon2020 project BreedingValue will address these challenges by studying a broader panel of strawberry, raspberry and blueberry genotypes in detail, in order to recover the lost genetic diversity that has limited the aroma and flavor intensity of recent cultivars. We will combine metabolic analysis with sensory panel tests and surveys to identify the key components of taste, flavor and aroma in berries across Europe, leading to a high-resolution map of quality requirements for future berry cultivars. Traits linked to berry yields and the effect of environmental stress will be investigated using modern image analysis methods and modeling. We will also use genetic analysis to determine the genetic basis of complex traits for the development and optimization of modern breeding technologies such as molecular marker arrays, genomic selection and genome wide association studies. Finally, the results, raw data and metadata will be made publicly available on the open platform Germinate in order to meet FAIR data principles and provide the basis for sustainable research in the future.

Exploration of a European-centered strawberry diversity panel provides markers and candidate genes for the control of fruit quality traits

“…1I). One possible explanation for the high genetic diversity retained in European accessions is that European breeders had to cope with a wide range of breeding targets due to the diversity of cultural practices, markets and consumer preferences found in Europe 6,35 . High quality strawberry varieties released in Europe therefore had to meet the requirements of both high cultivar performance, e.g.…”

“…high fruit yield, as in Californian cultivars 5 and high sensory fruit quality, e.g. high flavor 6 .…”

Genome-wide association studies in a diverse strawberry collection unveil loci controlling agronomic and fruit quality traits

“…(Darrow, 1966; Hardigan et al, 2021a). Breeding efforts in strawberry have been primarily directed towards preserving high yields, enhancing pest resistance, as well as improving fruit weight, firmness and flavor (Whitaker et al, 2017; Verma et al, 2017; Senger et al, 2022). Among fruit quality traits, increasing fruit firmness has been of maximum interest, as it influences the organoleptic quality, but most importantly the postharvest life and market value of the fruit.…”

“…In response to consumer preferences, there is a growing emphasis on enhancing fruit organoleptic and nutritional quality in current breeding programs. Therefore, many strawberry breeders worldwide address the improvement of sugar/acid balance, aroma, fruit color, and antioxidant capacity or ascorbic acid (AsA) content (Mezzetti et al, 2016; Verma et al, 2017; Senger et al, 2022). On the other hand, the main breeding objectives for growers are focused on agronomic traits related to yield (number of fruits and size), resistance to pests and diseases (Phytophthora crown rot, Fusarium wilt, Anthracnose, or powdery mildew, among many others), and key physiological traits related to plant vegetative propagation (runnering time and number of runners), flowering habit and fruit precocity.…”

Strawberry phenotypic plasticity in flowering time is driven by interaction between genetic loci and temperature

“…Strawberry ( Fragaria ×ananassa ), the most cultivated berry worldwide with a total harvested area of 389,665 ha and a total production of 9,175,384 T in 2021 (FAOSTAT, https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data), is widely grown in the northern and southern hemispheres. New varieties adapted to a wide range of latitudes, from tropical/subtropical to cold temperate climates, have been selected using different strategies (Senger et al, 2022). Varieties cover more or less restricted regions: for example, ’Fortuna’ is grown in Florida (USA) but also in Mexico, Spain, Egypt and Morocco and, conversely, ’Florence’ is restricted to Norway.…”