Objective(s):
(1) illustrate that QTL results are only the first step toward marker-assisted breeding as the desirable functional alleles need to be identified and then influence selection decisions; (2) demonstrate that this knowledge of functional alleles has value for the wider community of plant physiologists, thereby enhancing closer collaborations between breeders and physiologists; (3) illustrate the use of the pedigree based software, Pedimap, and breeding decision-based software that has application across breeding programs; and (4) as the first translational genomics CAP project funded for a fruit crop family, our project will provide non-rosaceous crop breeders insight into how one diverse plant community continues to come together to embrace our crop diversity (including polyploid complexity) and move forward with a common goal.

“RosBREED”, a multi-disciplinary multi-institutional project funded by the Specialty Crops Research Program of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, is dedicated to the genetic improvement of rosaceous crops by targeted application of genomics and socio-economics knowledge and tools to increase the efficiency of breeding programs, engage stakeholders, and train the next generation of plant breeders. Through the involvement of the U.S. Rosaceae genomics, genetics and breeding community, RosBREED is integrating modern genomics tools with traditional breeding approaches to increase the efficiency of rosaceous cultivar development. Using newly developed SNP genotyping arrays, existing marker-locus-trait (M-L-T) associations are being validated and new M-L-T associations are being discovered for critical traits that control fruit development and physiology.  We will showcase these M-L-T associations, termed “Jewels in the Genome”, including the application of this knowledge to scientists seeking to understand these biological processes.  Pedigree based and decision based breeding software developed by RosBREED, in collaboration with its international partners, that has application beyond rosaceous crops, will also be showcased.

Finally, being the first translational genomics CAP project funded for a fruit crop family, RosBREED will provide non-rosaceous crop breeders insight into how one diverse plant community can come together to embrace our crop diversity (including polyploid complexity), and move forward with a common goal.