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Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review Epublish 43 citations

PubMed: 34946829 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121881

Genomic Approaches for Improvement of Tropical Fruits: Fruit Quality, Shelf Life and Nutrient Content.

Genes (Basel) 12(12)

Authors: Malarvizhi Mathiazhagan, Bhavya Chidambara, Laxman R Hunashikatti, Kundapura V Ravishankar

Affiliations

  • Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru 560089, India.

Abstract

The breeding of tropical fruit trees for improving fruit traits is complicated, due to the long juvenile phase, generation cycle, parthenocarpy, polyploidy, polyembryony, heterozygosity and biotic and abiotic factors, as well as a lack of good genomic resources. Many molecular techniques have recently evolved to assist and hasten conventional breeding efforts. Molecular markers linked to fruit development and fruit quality traits such as fruit shape, size, texture, aroma, peel and pulp colour were identified in tropical fruit crops, facilitating Marker-assisted breeding (MAB). An increase in the availability of genome sequences of tropical fruits further aided in the discovery of SNP variants/Indels, QTLs and genes that can ascertain the genetic determinants of fruit characters. Through multi-omics approaches such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics, the identification and quantification of transcripts, including non-coding RNAs, involved in sugar metabolism, fruit development and ripening, shelf life, and the biotic and abiotic stress that impacts fruit quality were made possible. Utilizing genomic assisted breeding methods such as genome wide association (GWAS), genomic selection (GS) and genetic modifications using CRISPR/Cas9 and transgenics has paved the way to studying gene function and developing cultivars with desirable fruit traits by overcoming long breeding cycles. Such comprehensive multi-omics approaches related to fruit characters in tropical fruits and their applications in breeding strategies and crop improvement are reviewed, discussed and presented here.

MeSH

Fruit, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, Food, Genes, Genomics, Breeding, Genome, Metabolomics, Nutrients

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