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Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1 genotyping of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) breeding parents and suitability for marker-assisted selection

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Abstract

Fruit ethylene production genotypes for Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1 were determined for 60 apple cultivars and 35 advanced breeding selections. Two alleles for each gene are commonly found in cultivated apple. Earlier studies showed that genotypes homozygous for the ACS1-2 allele produce less ethylene and have firmer fruit than ACS1-1/2 and ACS1-1/1 genotypes. ACO1 plays a minor role compared to ACS1, with homozygous ACO1-1 having lower ethylene production. In this study, ACS1-2 and ACO1-1 homozygotes had firmer fruit at harvest and after 60 days of 0–1°C cold storage compared to other genotypes. These genotypes, ACS1-2/2 and ACO1-1/1, were observed for the following 8 of 95 cultivars/selections: “Delblush”, “Fuji”, “Pacific Beauty”, “Sabina” and four breeding selections. Cultivars/selections that were homozygous ACS1-2 but not ACO1-1 were: “Ambrosia”, “Aurora Golden Gala”, “CrimsonCrisp”, “Gala”, “GoldRush”, “Huaguan”, “Pacific Rose, “Pacific Queen”, “Pinova”, “Sansa”, “Sonja”, “Sundance”, “Zestar”, and 17 breeding selections. Cultivars with the heterozygous ACS1-1/2 genotype were “Arlet”, “Braeburn”, “Cameo”, “Delicious”, “Delorgue”, “Empire”, “Enterprise”, “Ginger Gold”, “Golden Delicious”, “Granny Smith”, “Honeycrisp”, “Orin”, “Pink Lady”, “Silken”, “Suncrisp”, “Sundowner”, “Sunrise” and 11 breeding selections. No cultivars were detected homozygous for both ACS1-1 and ACO1-1, or for both ACS1-2 and ACO1-2. This study is the first large-scale allelic genotyping of both ethylene synthesis genes for a comprehensive set of apple breeding parents used in an ongoing breeding project. The data reported here are important for informative selection of parent combinations and marker-assisted selection of progeny for breeding low ethylene-producing apple cultivars for better storability and improved consumer acceptance.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully thank Cameron Peace, Amit Dhingra, Fred Bliss, Eric Van de Weg, James McFerson and James Mattheis for their helpful comments. We wish to thank Mallela Magana, Mark Dilley and Bonnie Konishi for their contribution in tissue collection, DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and fruit firmness evaluation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tree Fruit Research Laboratory, USDA Agriculture Research Service, 1104 North Western Avenue, Wenatchee, WA, 98801, USA

    Yanmin Zhu

  2. Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, 1100 North Western Avenue, Wenatchee, WA, 98801, USA

    Bruce H. Barritt

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  1. Yanmin Zhu
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  2. Bruce H. Barritt
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Correspondence to Yanmin Zhu.

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Communicated by A. Abbott

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Zhu, Y., Barritt, B.H. Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1 genotyping of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) breeding parents and suitability for marker-assisted selection. Tree Genetics & Genomes 4, 555–562 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-007-0131-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-007-0131-z

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