Mutant Resources and TILLING Platforms in Tomato Research

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is regarded as a model system for studying fruit development and ripening, and its whole genome sequence is now widely available through public databases. The demand for mutant resources for functional genomics has increased alongside the availability of tomato genome information. Due to the contributions of diverse tomato research communities, more than 83,000 tomato accessions are available from tomato resource centers around the world. In addition, a number of Targeting Induced Local Lesions In Genomes (TILLING) platforms in various tomato varieties have been developed that allow efficient screening of the desired mutants. Mutant and TILLING resources facilitate the development of genetic tools and can expedite the discovery of agronomically beneficial mutations. Mutants with improved agronomic traits have already been isolated from tomato resources, and these have considerable potential in tomato breeding. In this chapter, the current status of mutant resources and TILLING platforms in tomato is detailed alongside discussion of the implications for tomato research and breeding.