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Marker-assisted selection for scab resistance and columnar growth habit in inter-varietal population of apple (Malus × domestica)

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Abstract

In recent years, there has been significant progress in enhancing the genetic foundation underlying important agricultural traits such as resistance to scab and the development of a columnar growth habit. V. inaequalis is a hemibiotrophic fungus widely distributed in temperate regions where apples are grown on commercial scale. The present investigation was undertaken to identify Vf gene and Co gene, which, respectively, confer resistance against apple scab disease and columnar phenotype in apple cultivar ‘Rosalie’ and introgression of both the genes in commercially important cultivar ‘Fuji’. Polymorphism survey was carried out between the two parents using 22 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. The observations revealed that almost 50% hybrids fall in resistant category and 50% in susceptible category. The results of marker-assisted screening confirmed 38 F1s carrying resistance gene for scab while the remaining 32 F1 plants were found to be lacking the gene. The 38 genotypically scab-resistant hybrids were selected for further characterization as columnar and non-columnar plants. Based on the selection criteria, 21 individuals were categorized as columnar and the remaining 17 were categorized as non-columnar. The phenotypic screening was followed by screening of F1 s using molecular markers for Co gene. The amplification of Co-specific markers yielded columnar-specific fragments in the population and fitted the expected 1:1 Mendelian ratio. 18 scab-resistant F1 hybrids were found to carry Co gene and the remaining 20 did not possess the gene for columnar growth habit. Gene-specific primers identified in the present study can be directly used for screening large apple germplasm in a short period of time for developing resistant varieties against apple scab as well as varieties with columnar growth habit. Hybrids with verified scab resistance and columnar growth can be swiftly utilized as scab-resistant columnar cultivars.

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The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy.

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Funding

The study was funded by Ministry of Education (2019R1A6A1A11052070).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fruit Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, 190025, India

    Aatifa Rasool, K. M. Bhat, M. A. Mir & A. S. Sundouri

  2. Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, 21959, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Salha Mesfer ALshamrani

  3. Department of Plant Resources and Environment, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea

    Sheikh Mansoor & Yong Suk Chung

  4. Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Abeer S. Aloufi

  5. Department of Plant Production (Genetic Branch), Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, 45511, Egypt

    Diaa Abd El Moneim

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  1. Aatifa Rasool
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  2. K. M. Bhat
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  3. M. A. Mir
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  8. Sheikh Mansoor
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  9. Yong Suk Chung
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Correspondence to Yong Suk Chung.

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Rasool, A., Bhat, K.M., Mir, M.A. et al. Marker-assisted selection for scab resistance and columnar growth habit in inter-varietal population of apple (Malus × domestica). Plant Biotechnol Rep 18, 57–73 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11816-024-00889-2

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