The document discusses the history and management of fruit genetic resources. It describes how fruit genetic resource collections have existed for as long as fruit growing, with systematic preservation beginning in the early 20th century. Germplasm is assembled through donations, exchanges, and expeditions to centers of origin. It is then conserved ex-situ and characterized. Germplasm provides genetic diversity and traits for breeding to develop resilience to biotic and abiotic threats. The document highlights opportunities germplasm offers, like resistance traits, and examples of its use in apple breeding. It also describes evaluations of germplasm resistance to diseases and evaluations of quality.

1. Existing opportunities for germplasm
in breeding
Andreas Peil
Frutibreedomics, Stakeholder Day, Zürich 11th February 2014

2. The history of preservation of fruit genetic resources
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



Collections of fruit genetic resources belonging to
different species exist as long as fruit growing
The collection activities and the description of
historical cultivars boomed at the 18th and 19th
century
Adrian Diel (1756-1839) was one of the pioneers, who
prepared extensive descriptions of historical cultivars
Systematic preservation in public collections starts at
the beginning of the 20th century
In parallel there were many activities done by NGOs

3. Fruit genetic resources management
•
•
•
•
Germplasm assembly through donation and exchange from
exsiting collections and through expeditions in the centres of
origin
Conservation of germplasm in ex-situ field collections and
developing safety back-up collections by cryopreservation
Characterization of morpho-agronomic traits and screening of
germplasm against abiotic and biotic stresses
Utilization of germplasm in breeding (including related
species)
Facing challenges of the future (climate changes, new diseases, new
isolates, changing demands, novelties, enlarging genetic diversity)
3

4. Why germplasm is important for our work
Alessandro Liverani, CRA
Germplasm is a source of genetic diversity and a pre-requisite to ensure resilience
of peach to biotic and abiotic threats in changing environments
Locally adapted varieties (landraces) are an important source of
favorable traits of robustness and adaption to local condition which
can be exploited in breeding actions
Wild relative are also an important source of resistance in peach, a
species often lacking of resistance traits
Germplasm can be also a source of innovative agronomical and
pomological traits

5. What opportunities germplasm can offer to
Robustness and resilience in a climatic change context
peach
Alessandro Liverani, CRA
Double fruits
Blind nodes
Heterogeneous
development of
fruit
•
Low temperatures during
bloom

6. What opportunities germplasm can offer to peach
Alessandro Liverani, CRA
Interesting traits as:
Higher levels of antioxidant
compounds
Varietal Diversification
The great taste of the old
germplasm
Bella di Cesena
Extend life span of
the fruit: the Stony
hard trait

7. What opportunities germplasm can offer to peach
Alessandro Liverani, CRA
Tolerance to diseases
Start
F1
F2
Ex:Resistance to Powdery mildew in nectarines
Ex:Resistance to Plum Pox Virus in peach
Davidiana
Almond
F3

8. Comparability of descriptions:
Apple descriptors
Markus Kellerhals, Agroscope

9. Morphological description and variety
identification
Markus Kellerhals, Agroscope
Morphological description
•
Phenology
•
Tree characters
•
Fruit characters
Variety identification
•
Classical (pomological knowledge)
•
Molecular analysis (set of SSR
markers)

10. Test of susceptibility to V. inaequalis, P. leucotricha
and E. amylovora
Markus Kellerhals, Agroscope
Scab and powdery mildew
 600 apple accessions 2 trees each
 1 st leaf 2008
 References: Jonathan, Boskoop, Bohnapfel,
Berlepsch, Discovery, Berner Rosen,
Sauergrauech, Goldparmäne
 Controls: Gravensteiner (P. leucotricha), Golden
Del. (V. inaequalis)
 No fungicides from 2nd leaf onward
Fire blight
114 apple and 20 pear accessions
Around 10 trees per accession

11. Fruit Gene Bank Dresden-Pillnitz
2.569 cultivars / accessions in field collection
Number of cultivars
Apple
832
Pear
123
Sweet cherry
179
Tart cherry
102
Plum
42
Strawberry
Sea buckthorn
Total
Wild species
286
27
1591
Number of accessions
Malus sp.
507
Pyrus sp
63
Prunus sp
81
Sorbus sp
30
Other fruit species
33
Fragaria sp
264
Total
978

12. Evaluation of resistance to diseases
Fire blight
Apple scab
Powdery mildew

13. Fire blight resistance in apple
Looking for new sources of resistance
Malus × robusta 5

QTL on LG3 after shoot infection

QTL on LG3 after flower infection
Malus fusca

QTL for resistance on LG10
Malus baccata

QTL for resistance on LG12

14. Isolation of the fire blight resistance
gene from M. x robusta 5
QTL-Mapping
Population Idared and Malus × robusta 5
Chromosome Walking
a resistance gene candidate was found and isolated
Evaluation of the functionality of the candidate gene
Transformation into the apple cultivar Gala and
Pinova
Chromosom 3
0.0
1.5
CH03E03
Fem18
7.9
PAGM48_77
12.8
16.2
18.1
18.6
21.0
23.3
24.9
27.6
28.6
30.2
CH03G07
PAGM38_374
P12M49_160
HI03D06
E33M32_304
GD12_L1
E40M33_376
PAGM42_166
PAGM32_217
PAGM38_356
36.2
AU223657
40.4
P12M40_271
46.6
47.8
49.5
MS14H03
PAGM32_228
P14M49_281
58.8
CH03G12B
14

15. Resistance to fire blight from Mr5
Resistance gene of Mr5 has been isolated and function proved
in transgenic Gala
Transgenic Gala lines
Broggini et al. (2014) Engineering fire blight resistance into the apple cultivar 'Gala' using the FB_MR5
CC-NBS-LRR resistance gene of Malus × robusta 5. Plant Biotechnology Journal accepted

16. Characterization for future use
Markus Kellerhals, Agroscope
Fruit quality
•
Screening fruit quality with ‚Pimprenelle‘ robotic machine
Juice
•
Production of true to type juices
•
Sensory scoring by experts
•
Analyses of the samples in the laboratory
Brandy
•
Production of true to type brandies
•
Sensory scoring and description by experts

17. Old apple cultivars from the 15. and 18. century
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18. Use of ‚old‘ varieties in ACW apple breeding
(crosses 2006 and 2007)
Markus Kellerhals, Agroscope
Mother
Father
Seeds
Nb in step 1
ACW 12556
Sternapi
468
10
Dülmener Rosenapfel
ACW 12309
141
21
ACW 11309
Roter Herbstcalville
96
-
Rucliva
Gelber Bellefleur
644
370
Milwa
Krimskoe
1167
50

19. Looking for new traits
Material from collections
examples:

20. Malus sieversii –
Material from expeditions of US scientists to Central Asia
•
•
•
•
130.000 seeds from
892 trees collected
Evaluation was realized
in 25 institutions around
the the world, the Fruit
Gene bank DresdenPillnitz was involved
1.054 seedlings were
evaluated
A core-collection of the
species was established
with 94 genotypes.
20

21. Malus orientalis – Material from expeditions to
Northern Caucasus, Russia in 2011 and 2012
7
8
7
1
3
9
8
8
10
6
2
1
4
3
6
2
5
9
4
5
1
Flachowsky H et al. (2011) Russisch Deutsche Kaukasusexpedition 2011. Obstbau 12, 652-656
Hanke M-V et al. (2012) Collecting fruit genetic resources in the North Caucasus region. J. f. Kulturpflanzen 64:
126-136.
Höfer M et al. (2012) Russisch-Deutsche Kaukasusexpedition 2011. Julius-Kühn-Archiv 436: 92-96.
Flachowsky H et al. (2013) Russisch-deutsche Kaukasusexpedition 2012. Obstbau 1, 52-56.

22. Malus orientalis – Material from expeditions to
Northern Caucasus, Russia in 2011 and 2012
•
17.716 seeds from 171 trees
collected
•
Pyrus caucasica
•
Prunus cerasifera

23. Evaluation of disease resistance of the Malus orientalis
material from Northern Caucasus expeditions
Aim: Utilization of resistant material in breeding
•
Inoculation of seedlings in greenhouse against scab
•
Inoculation of seedlings in greenhouse against mildew
•
Inoculation of seedlings in greenhouse against fireblight
Results
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2011: 21 seedling without any symptoms of powdery mildew and apple scab
•
2012: 31 seedling without any symptoms of powdery mildew and apple scab

24. Malus orientalis – the Caucasian applec
Thanks for your
attention

25. Malus species – Material from expeditions to China,
province Sechuan
M. kansuensis, M. toringoides, M. transitoria, M. sieboldii, M. prattii, M. hupehensis
6 Malus species represented by 618 seedlings from 47 accessions, under evaluation
26

26. Acknowledgements
We acknowledge financial support for Swiss National Campaign
Plants (NCP) by the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture and the
NGO Fructus