Abstract
Bacterial spot, caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap), is a serious peach disease with symptoms that traverse severe defoliation and black surface pitting, cracking or blemishes on peach fruit with global economic impacts. A management option for control and meeting consumer demand for chemical-free, environmentally friendly fruit production is the development of resistant or tolerant cultivars. We developed simple, accurate, and efficient DNA assays (Ppe.XapF) based on SNP genotyping with KASP technology to quickly test for bacterial spot resistance alleles in peach fruit that allows breeders to cull seedlings at the greenhouse stage. The objective of this research was to validate newly developed DNA tests that target the two major QTLs for fruit resistance in peach with diagnostic utility in predicting fruit response to bacterial spot infection. Our study confirms that with only two Ppe.XapF DNA tests, Ppe.XapF1-1 and Ppe.XapF6-2, individuals carrying susceptible alleles can be identified. Use of these efficient and accurate Ppe.XapF KASP tests resulted in 44% reduction in seedling planting rate in the Clemson University peach breeding program.
Highlights
The objective of this study was to develop and validate a rapid and unambiguous DNA test, using the previously identified associations between disease phenotypes and SNP alleles within the Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap).Pp.OC-1.2 and Xap.Pp.OC-6.1 QTLs, that can be used in peach breeding for accurate and routine prediction of bacterial spot fruit response
One SNP, which differentiates between the heterozygous alleles S|alm and I|R2 on chromosome 6, was not suitable for a Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assay
‘Chinese Cling’ is an ancestor of all modern peach cultivars [29], and if one of its alleles is never observed in its descendants one could hypothesize that when passed to the generation it resulted in an undesirable trait which caused it to be removed through selection by breeders
Summary
Batsch) belongs to the Prunus genus of the Rosaceae family and is one of the most economically important fruit tree crops worldwide [1]. No peach cultivar resistant to major peach diseases currently occupies any substantial U.S market share, and despite the hundreds of existing peach cultivars used for fresh market, there is continuing need to develop new peach cultivars as the requirements of the industry and preferences of consumers change [5].
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