FruitGateway - Blackcurrant molecular breeding

Blackcurrant molecular breeding and mapping

Molecular techniques have in recent years been applied to Ribes, mainly R. nigrum, and various marker types including RAPDs, AFLPs, SSRs and SNPs have been reported for the genus. The first genetic linkage map of R. nigrum, based on AFLPs and SSRs (genomic and EST-derived), has recently been completed (Brennan et al. in press), and work to identify markers linked to traits of interest is in progress at various sites. The initial focus is on traits controlled by single genes, particularly those such as gall mite resistance that are difficult or time-consuming to screen for in the field. However, marker development and marker-assisted breeding strategies for early selection for fruit quality characters are priorities for the future. Effective deployment of markers in breeding programmes will enable the current generation time for new cultivars to be greatly reduced.

A partial map of the Ribes genome