Objective "Sea buckthorn (Hippophae L.) is a woody, dioecious plant that can be grown in areas characterized by severe drought, high salinity and poor soil conditions. It has recently received considerable attention in Europe and China as a new berry crop with a very high nutritional value and unique medicinal properties, as well as a means of combating soil erosion. Methods must, however, be developed that enable fast and efficient identification of genotypes carrying genes for desirable plant architecture and fruit quality as well as resistance to the very detrimental dried-shrink disease (DSD) in order to achieve a sustainable commercial production of this crop. The objectives of this proposal are to investigate fruit quality parameters and DSD-resistance in already collected germplasm presently conserved in China and in Sweden, respectively, and then develop molecular techniques that will allow fast and accurate development of elite cultivars destined both for direct usage and as a parental material in plant breeding programs.Fruit quality traits and disease resistance will be screened in European and Chinese plant materials. SCAR and SSR markers associated with these traits will be identified using the germplasm-regression-combined marker-trait association analysis. Relationships between genotypic and environmental effects on desirable traits will be investigated using metabolomic techniques based on GC/LC-MS and 1H-NMR. Carefully selected genetic resource collections (gene banks) will be established both at Balsgard in Sweden and at Fuxin in China. A germplasm evaluation system, based on markers associated with desirable traits and results from the metabolomics analysis, will be constructed that provides fast and efficient identification and selection of elite genotypes with high fruit quality in combination with DSD-resistance. These tools will provide a platform for marker- and metabolomics-assisted breeding to develop further improved cultivars." Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growingagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant breeding Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IIF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Coordinator SVERIGES LANTBRUKSUNIVERSITET EU contribution € 259 565,00 Address ALMAS ALLE 8 750 07 Uppsala Sweden See on map Region Östra Sverige Östra Mellansverige Uppsala län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Ingrid Ragnarsdotter Jajke (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data