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Analysis of the genetic control of β-carotene and l-ascorbic acid accumulation in an orange-brownish wild cherry tomato accession

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Abstract

An additive-dominance, additive × additive (ADAA) and genotype × environment interaction mix model was used to study the genetic control of β-carotene and l-ascorbic acid in six basic generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1P1 and BC1P2) of tomato derived from the cross CDP8779 accession (Solanum lycopersicum L.) × CDP4777 accession (S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). The study was performed in two environments: (1) open field; (2) protected environment, consisting of hydroponic cultivation in a glasshouse. The results indicate that β-carotene accumulation was mainly additive (32.2% of the genetic component), with a small dominant component (4.2%) and an important additive × environment interaction contribution (63.6%). In target environments with moderate to high temperatures and no limiting radiation, this the expression additive × environment interaction could substantially enhance the β-carotene content. This trait showed also a high narrow-sense heritability (h 2 = 0.62). Ascorbic acid accumulation was also mainly additive (61.7% of the genetic component), with a minor additive epistatic component (21.5%). This epistatic effect caused a negative heterosis that reduced the positive main additive effect. Nevertheless, in the described target environments, the additive × environment interaction contribution (16.8%) may enhance the ascorbic acid content and compensate for the negative heterosis effect. The total narrow-sense heritability of this trait can be considered useful (h 2 = 0.52). In conclusion, the CDP4777 accession is a very interesting donor parent for the joint improvement of β-carotene (without diminishing lycopene content) and ascorbic acid content in commercial nutraceutical tomato breeding programmes; the F1 hybrids derived from this accession showed nearly 450% of the commonly reported average β-carotene content and close to 130% of the ascorbic acid content of the female parent.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) (project AGL2005-08083-C03-01). The authors thank Dr. Luis Mejía and the Universidad de San Carlos of Guatemala for providing the CPD4777 accession, among others. The authors thank Professor Jun Zhu, director of the Bioinformatics Institute, Zhejiang University, China, for his comments and for kindly providing the software used in the data analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. COMAV, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain

    Ana Maria Adalid & Fernando Nuez

  2. Department of Agrarian Sciences and Natural Environment, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castellón, Spain

    Salvador Roselló & Mercedes Valcárcel

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  1. Ana Maria Adalid
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  2. Salvador Roselló
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  3. Mercedes Valcárcel
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  4. Fernando Nuez
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Correspondence to Fernando Nuez.

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Adalid, A.M., Roselló, S., Valcárcel, M. et al. Analysis of the genetic control of β-carotene and l-ascorbic acid accumulation in an orange-brownish wild cherry tomato accession. Euphytica 184, 251–263 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-011-0584-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-011-0584-x

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