HIPPOHEALTH

"Evaluation of fruit quality and disease resistance in sea buckthorn germplasm, based on molecular markers and metabolomics"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (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.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Researchers have characterised desirable traits in the berries of the sea-buckthorn shrub, and identified genetic markers for these traits.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a drought- and salinity-resistant plant that can grow in poor soil conditions. It has recently generated interest as a nutritious berry crop and as a way to prevent soil erosion.

Funded by the EU, the HIPPOHEALTH project aimed to investigate desirable traits like fruit flavour and resistance to dried-shrink disease in plant collections from China and Sweden. This research effort is intended to support the development of new sea-buckthorn cultivars.

Scientists first analysed the chemical make-up of fruits from different sea-buckthorn cultivars before linking their findings to the genetics of each cultivar. Taste testing was also conducted, revealing that consumers strongly preferred sweeter berries.

From these studies, HIPPOHEALTH identified several chemical compounds that served as predictors of tasty berries. Coupled with genetic data, researchers now have information that can be used to breed more palatable sea-buckthorn cultivars.

All of the data generated by HIPPOHEALTH will be incorporated into an evaluation tool that plant breeders can use to rate new cultivars. This will contribute to improved commercial production of sea-buckthorn.