Abstract
The value of crop wild relatives has long been acknowledged and this wild resource has been used to improve crop performance with clear economic benefits. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is the most economically valuable crop species in the order Caryophyllales, B. vulgaris subsp. maritima being the ancestor of the cultivated beets. The wild species of the genus Beta s.l. are commonly found in coastal areas of Europe and Mediterranean Region, where a rich genetic heritage still exists. Broadening the genetic base of sugar beet by introgression with wild relatives is a growing need regarding the maintenance of ecologically important traits. Since wild relatives have adapted to specific habitats, they constitute an important source of novel traits for the beet breeding pool. So, we conducted a broader research project aiming to delimit taxa and identify priority locations to establish genetic reserves of the wild Beta species occurring in Portugal (Western Iberian Peninsula). The aim of this study was: 1) to identify and characterize the main habitats of these wild Beta species; and 2) to present a review of some genetic tools available for future application in sugar beet breeding. In this review, we have focused on EcoTILLING as a molecular tool to assess DNA polymerphisms in wild populations of Beta and identify candidate genes related to drought and salt tolerance, as well as addressed some issues related to next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies as a new molecular tool to assess adaptive genetic variation on the wild relatives of sugar beet.
Highlights
We have focused on EcoTILLING as a molecular tool to assess DNA polymerphisms in wild populations of Beta and identify candidate genes related to drought and salt tolerance, as well as addressed some issues related to next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies as a new molecular tool to assess adaptive genetic variation on the wild relatives of sugar beet
Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) are species closely related to crops that hold greater genetic variation in nature than their cultivated relatives selected by man, representing an important reservoir of genetic resources for crop improvement [1,2,3]
Kell et al [6] created the first comprehensive list of CWR for Europe and the Mediterranean using a broad definition of a CWR, and found that approximately 80% of the flora of the region consisted of crops and their wild relatives
Summary
Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) are species closely related to crops that hold greater genetic variation in nature than their cultivated relatives selected by man, representing an important reservoir of genetic resources for crop improvement [1,2,3]. The wild relatives of crops are expected to harbor much higher levels of genetic diversity and beneficial adaptive genes/alleles underlying processes of local adaptation. The use of CWR genes to improve crop performance is not by far a new concept, but dating back more than 60 years [1]. During this period, significant developments are achieved, each, in its own right, making important contributions to the knowledge base capable to provide a predictive framework that will underpin conventional and novel plant breeding strategies
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