Molecular and related approaches to litchi improvement – historical perspective and future trends

Abstract

ABSTRACTMolecular techniques have developed from using isozymes as markers to the latest technologies involving DNA and RNA sequencing. The application of molecular markers in litchi research has paralleled technological advancements in the field. Marker research has been undertaken for a range of applications including cultivar verification, establishing the degree of genetic diversity in populations/collections, developing core-subsets for breeding, determination of parentage, etc. In recent years, the development of New Plant Breeding Technologies (NPBT) provides the potential to make site directed changes to plant genes to develop plants with improved traits in a shorter time frame than with conventional plant breeding. This technology has the potential to revolutionise plant breeding programmes and is particularly relevant when the effects of climate change are considered. The current review is not meant to be exhaustive but it provides a critical assessment of the implementation of molecular markers in litchi research and considers potential avenues for the application of NPBT in the near future.Abbreviations: RAPD, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA; AFLP, Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism; SSR, Simple Sequence Repeat; ISSR, Inter Simple Sequence Repeat; SRAP, Sequence-Related Amplified Polymorphism; SNP, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism; QTL, Quantitative Trait Loci; NPBT, New Plant Breeding Technologies