2017 ASHS Annual Conference

USDA NIFA’s National Research Support Project 10 (NRSP10) houses and develops tools for translational research breakthroughs in genetics and genomics for the valuable U.S. crops of citrus, stone fruit, and pome fruit. In the age of Big Data, bioinformatics is critical for extracting jewels from the ore. Translational research immediately upstream of application in crop genetic improvement and germplasm management is particularly well resourced by NRSP10. SNP array development, linkage map construction, trait locus discovery, causal gene identification, and locus-specific marker development are outcomes commonly targeted and achieved by Citrus and Rosaceae crop researchers accessing NRSP10 databases and bioinformatics tools (www.citrusgenomedb.org and www.rosaceae.org). One of many examples of advances supported is QTL discovery through to candidate gene identification for fruit size in sweet cherry using Genome Database for Rosaceae resources. Such discoveries are readily extended within the same crop with comparative mapping tools such as CMap and across crops with Synteny Viewer using candidate gene and candidate locus approaches. Tree fruit SNP marker arrays established in recent years have expanded genetics research capability with revelations of genome-wide recombination and genetic diversity patterns. Opportunities beckon for software-based solutions that allow researchers – and breeders – to “experience” crop germplasm as holistic genotypes.