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Phenotyping progenies for complex architectural traits: a strategy for 1-year-old apple trees (Malus x domestica Borkh.)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to define a methodology for describing architectural traits in a quantitative way on tree descendants. Our strategy was to collect traits related to both tree structural organization, resulting from growth and branching, and tree form and then to select among these traits relevant descriptors on the basis of their genetic parameters. Because the complexity of tree architecture increases with tree age, we chose to describe the trees in the early stages of development. The study was carried out on a 1-year-old apple progeny derived from two parent cultivars with contrasted architecture. A large number of variables were collected at different positions and scales within the trees. Broad-sense heritability and genetic correlations were estimated and the within tree variability was analyzed for variables measured on long sylleptic axillary shoots (LSAS). These results were combined to select heritable and not correlated variables. Finally, the selection of variables proposed combines topological with geometric traits measured on both trunks and LSAS: (1) on the trunk, mean internode length, and number of sylleptic axillary shoots; (2) on axillary shoots, conicity, bending, and number of sylleptic axillary shoots born at order 3. The trees of the progeny were partitioned on the basis of these variables. The putative agronomic interest of the selected variables with respect to the subsequent tree development is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Y. Guédon for his help in statistics, particularly for partitioning, to G. Garcia for his contribution to field measurements, and to S. Feral for technical assistance in the orchard. This research was funded by INRA. We also acknowledge Mr Mark Jones for improving the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR Biologie du Développement des Espèces Pérennes Cultivées, INRA, Equipe Architecture et Fonctionnement des Espèces Fruitières, 2 place, Pierre Viala, 34060, Montpellier Cedex 1, France

    V. Segura & E. Costes

  2. CIRAD, TA 80-03 Avenue Agropolis, 34398, Montpellier, France

    C. Cilas

  3. UMR Génétique et Horticulture, INRA-INH, Université d’Angers, 42 Rue Georges Morel, BP 57, 49071, Beaucouzé Cedex, France

    F. Laurens

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  1. V. Segura
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  2. C. Cilas
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  3. F. Laurens
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  4. E. Costes
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Correspondence to E. Costes.

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Segura, V., Cilas, C., Laurens, F. et al. Phenotyping progenies for complex architectural traits: a strategy for 1-year-old apple trees (Malus x domestica Borkh.). Tree Genetics & Genomes 2, 140–151 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-006-0037-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-006-0037-1

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