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Genetic and physical characterisation of the locus controlling columnar habit in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.)

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Abstract

A better understanding of the genetic control of tree architecture would potentially allow improved tailoring of newly bred apple cultivars in terms of field management aspects, such as planting density, pruning, pest control and disease protection. It would also have an indirect impact on yield and fruit quality. The Columnar (Co) locus strongly suppresses lateral branch elongation and is the most important genetic locus influencing tree architecture in apple. Co has previously been mapped on apple linkage group (LG) 10. In order to obtain fine mapping of Co, both genetically and physically, we have phenotypically analysed and screened three adult segregating experimental populations, with a total of 301 F1 plants, and one substantial 3-year old population of 1,250 F1 plants with newly developed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, based on the ‘Golden delicious’ apple genome sequence now available. Co was found to co-segregate with SSR marker Co04R12 and was confined in a region of 0.56 cM between SSR markers Co04R11 and Co04R13, corresponding to 393 kb on the ‘Golden delicious’ genome sequence. In this region, 36 genes were predicted, including at least seven sequences potentially belonging to genes that could be considered candidates for involvement in control of shoot development. Our results provide highly reliable, virtually co-segregating markers that will facilitate apple breeding aimed at modifications of the tree habit and lay the foundations for the cloning of Co.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Pierluigi Magnago for his most essential contribution in developing the segregating populations and Luca Pinelli for his technical help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IASMA Research and Innovation Center, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Genomics and Crop Biology Area, via E. Mach 1, San Michele all’Adige, 38010, Italy

    Paolo Baldi, Pieter Jacobus Wolters, Matteo Komjanc, Roberto Viola, Riccardo Velasco & Silvio Salvi

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna, viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy

    Silvio Salvi

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  1. Paolo Baldi
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  2. Pieter Jacobus Wolters
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  3. Matteo Komjanc
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  4. Roberto Viola
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  5. Riccardo Velasco
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  6. Silvio Salvi
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Correspondence to Paolo Baldi.

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Baldi, P., Wolters, P.J., Komjanc, M. et al. Genetic and physical characterisation of the locus controlling columnar habit in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). Mol Breeding 31, 429–440 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-012-9800-1

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