Objective
The long-term objective is recovering or breeding pineapple varieties to improve production systems and provide the South American markets with larger quantities of high quality fruits, so contributing to the sustainable development of this region and the tropical small farming systems. The present project aims at obtaining knowledge and tools for the development of varieties resistant to the main diseases in the region, by :
* characterizing and evaluating available genetic resources,
* studying the genetic structure of the genus Ananas,
* developing resistance screening techniques,
* studying the heredity of agronomic traits,
* test the potential of partial inbreds in breeding.
Expected Outcome
The project will favour new uses of neglected or traditional varieties, so widening the genetic base of pineapple cultivation. Agro-morphological and genomic studies will provide key information to assess the genetic diversity of pineapple and understand its structure. The database will allow better management and exploitation of the collections. The development of new breeding schemes associated with gene mapping should greatly improve breeding efficiency, allowing to transfer resistances and thence promote integrated and more environmentally friendly pests and diseases control.
The project will specifically :
* Characterize the germplasm collected in a previous series of projects (botanical and agromorphological description, nuclear and cytoplasmic DNA characterization); study the structure and genetic diversity of the genus Ananas; evaluate the potential for breeding or direct use in small farmers systems.
* Create a standard database to promote information and germplasm exchange between the partners, and, later, between all the existing pineapple germplasm collections.
* Develop techniques to screen for varietal resistance to fusariosis, black spot, thecla and nematodes, four of the main diseases and pests in the area, and apply them on the germplasm.
* Develop new breeding schemes from the results obtained in the project. Selfing cycles will result in fixing main traits and expressing new recessive traits. Prebreeding among these inbred families will be associated with inbreeding depression studies.
* Establish a reference genetic map of molecular markers for pineapple; analyse the heredity and recombination of chromosome fragment of interspecific hybrids; study the heredity (and gene mapping) of agronomic traits.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabases
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNA
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growing
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsheredity
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticschromosomes
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
34032 MONTPELLIER
France