Self-incompatibility alleles in important genotypes for apple breeding in Brazil

Thyana Lays Brancher,Altamir Frederico Guidolin,Maraisa Crestani Hawerroth,Danielle Caroline Manenti,Marcus Vinícius Kvitschal

doi:10.1590/1984-70332020v20n4a54

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify self-incompatibility (S) alleles of advanced breeding selections of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). The S-alleles of 42 apple genotypes were analyzed by markers using allele-specific PCR amplification and amplicons digested with restriction endonucleases. Among the screened genotypes were cultivars, advanced selections, and accessions of the Apple Germplasm Bank of Epagri (Cacador, Santa Catarina, Brazil). Two S-alleles were identified in 36 genotypes, and only one S-allele was determined in the other six genotypes. In all, eleven S-alleles were identified among all the genotypes evaluated. The S3 and S5 alleles were most frequent (30.2% and 19.8%, respectively). The identification of S-alleles using molecular markers in important apple tree genotypes is useful for determination of compatible parents for breeding programs.

Highlights

The development of new apple cultivars (Malus × domestica Borkh.) by classical breeding methods requires from 13 to 17 years of research (Sedov 2014)
The possible parental combinations are restricted by the gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system present in Malus (Pereira-Lorenzo et al 2018)
The objective of the study was to use genetic markers to identify the S-alleles of 42 apple genotypes/cultivars used as parents in the Epagri Apple Breeding Program

Summary

Introduction

The development of new apple cultivars (Malus × domestica Borkh.) by classical breeding methods requires from 13 to 17 years of research (Sedov 2014). The process begins with the choice of parents that have traits of interest, which are crossed to select new cultivars and their pollinizers (Denardi et al 2019a). The possible parental combinations are restricted by the gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system present in Malus (Pereira-Lorenzo et al 2018). Crosses between genetically compatible plants (even between species) are required to generate as many plants as possible with the greatest genetic variability (De Franceschi et al 2016). The S-alleles of several apple cultivars and genotypes have not been genotyped, making it difficult to choose compatible parents for planned crosses

Objectives

Methods

Results