A joint Laimburg - FEM molecular markers project for apple fruit quality traits using the Pedigree Based Analysis strategy

In apple breeding fruit quality is a crucial aspect to guarantee commercial success of new varieties. Among the several quality attributes, individual sugars and acid components, as well as texture, are considered important features due to their significant contribution to sensory quality and consumer's acceptance. In traditional breeding, however, selection for these particular traits is a time consuming process, due to the long unproductive juvenile phase of apple seedlings. This step can be assisted to date by the use of molecular markers, an important diagnostic tool useful to anticipate and assist the identification of novel apple varieties characterized by superior fruit quality behaviour. However, the routinely implementation of molecular markers in breeding programs is still limited. In this study a new approach named Pedigree Based Analysis will be used on six full-sib progenies and their pedigree (composed by 15 varieties, represented by founders and ancestors), to target the main set of quantitative trait loci (QTLs). This strategy will allow the identification of the most valuable alleles present in the breeding activities of both Italian institutes. The ultimate goal of the Laimburg - FEM joint project is the identification and validation of molecular markers as a suitable tool for Marker Assisted Breeding in the two on-going apple breeding programs