EMR Hosts European Meeting on Rosaceous Genomics Research
Forty delegates from nine European countries attended the highly successful meeting on the subject of Rosaceous Genomics research to consider how genetic knowledge across this plant family can help with crop improvement.
The Rosaceae includes many of the UK's important fruit crops and ornamentals – such as apple, pear, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, rowan and rose. Similarities between the crops at the molecular level mean that knowledge of agronomic genes and markers in one crop can now be a short-cut to finding them in another. Thus, for example, the wild strawberry, a small herbaceous plant with a short lifespan, can be used as a genetic model for not only the cultivated strawberry but also tree fruits such as apple and cherry.
Advantages include using molecular screening to detect the presence of resistance genes and using DNA fingerprints to identify plants in gene-bank collections which save both time and resources by reducing the need for expensive comparative trials.
Recent advances in all the important crops were presented. The three topics most discussed were the genes controlling flowering in strawberry, disease resistance genes in all rosaceous fruit crops and the genetics of self incompatibility in cherry, plum, almond and pear. These topics are important to plant breeders who are aiming to develop improved cultivars for these species that are more productive and less susceptible to diseases.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of plans for a European Rosaceous Genomics Initiative with a view to securing European funding for collaborative research.
Media Contact
All latest news from the category: Agricultural and Forestry Science
Newest articles
Recovering phosphorus from sewage sludge ash
Chemical and heat treatment of sewage sludge can recover phosphorus in a process that could help address the problem of diminishing supplies of phosphorus ores. Valuable supplies of phosphorus could…
Efficient, sustainable and cost-effective hybrid energy storage system for modern power grids
EU project HyFlow: Over three years of research, the consortium of the EU project HyFlow has successfully developed a highly efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective hybrid energy storage system (HESS) that…
After 25 years, researchers uncover genetic cause of rare neurological disease
Some families call it a trial of faith. Others just call it a curse. The progressive neurological disease known as spinocerebellar ataxia 4 (SCA4) is a rare condition, but its…