Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HARNESSTOM (Harnessing the value of tomato genetic resources for now and the future)
Période du rapport: 2022-04-01 au 2023-09-30
HARNESSTOM has contributed to consolidate panels of plant materials with a wealth of genetic and phenotypic information. Biotechnological tools and physical techniques were developed to speed-up breeding. We started to implement tools to increase efficiency of breeding.
HARNESSTOM have focused in selecting materials, and conducting surveying and prebreeeding activities towards durable resistance to C. fulvum, and identifying some resources of resistance to the emerging viruses, including ToBRFV, stuydying the enetics basis for the new resistances and generating introgression lines from resistant wild accessions. A strategy to combine tolerant non-elite genetic variability able to increase tolerance against climate change related stresses with elite germplasm from HARNESSSTOM companies have started. Sources of abiotic stress tolerance alleles identified by academic partners have been shared with industrial and academic partners to evaluate them in different conditions and to start their introduction into elite germplasm. QTLs have been validated, also fine mapping approaches have been implemented to increase the mapping resolution of some major effect and epistatic QTLs identified to increase tomato yield in different growing conditions. The identification of the most interesting resources for fruit quality breeding has been conducted. Marker assisted selection breeding have been initiated to improve elite material for specific targets related to flavour traits (sugars, acids, volatiles). In addition, simultaneously improving the fruit’s health-related characteristics and shelf-life is being addressed by generating new populations.
HARNESSTOM focused in developing innovative strategies for involving farmers, consumers, influential chefs and academics in pre-breeding and breeding activities Online surveys, designed for definition of agronomic and sensory ideotypes were produced, translated into seven languages and disseminated through several websites and local newspapers. More than 3,000 citizen had participated and Informationcollected, A first repository of promising genotypes has been established and seeds distributed to farmers. In parallel different plant breeding programs are being developed departing from prestigious landraces.
Sources of resistance against the most important tomato (emerging) diseases, including TOBRFV have been identified and characterization of those resistances and introgression programs initiated. Some of them seem to provide good resistance and therefore expected to have a high impact in farmers /breeding companies competitiveness and also sustainable production for consumers.
Backcross programs initiated that eventually will result in prebreeding materials able to tackle climate change conditions threatening tomato cultivation in many areas and it is therefore expected they would have an impact in food sustainability and stability. The different prebreeding programs initiated for higher organoleptic quality and increasing health-related compounds are expected to also positively impact tomato consumption and improve HARNESSTOM companies position in the market.
The participatory breeding and citizen science is already having an impact in the way genetic resources are seen by farmers, cooks and citizens at large. A very good participation and responses to surveys and commitment to participate in different citizen science activities initiated by HARENSSTOM are good indications of an excellent impact
THe new tomato prebreeding varieties developed by ring-fenced academia/industry partnership or by participatory breeding are expected to result in a higher appreciation genetic resources, increased diversity and higher adaptability to particular environments The outcomes of the HARNESSTOM project will be used in multiple ways and will ultimately feed into different user communities including researchers, breeders, tomato producers and consumers. The achievements of the HARNESSTOM project in terms of knowledge and tools created will impact scientists and breeders so they will result in improved productivity and stability of the agricultural sector in and outside Europe.