2017 ASHS Annual Conference

Long-lived woody ornamentals and fruit and nut trees pose a challenge for traditional breeding and improvement programs. Reference-quality genome assemblies and annotations are becoming a foundational resource for an increasing number of species. Reference genomes enable genome-wide association analyses and marker-assisted breeding programs. However, the long generation time of most woody horticultural species remains a major limitation for efficient cultivar improvement through marker-assisted breeding. At the same time, genetic modification has been an effective tool for improvement of some long-lived woody species. This workshop highlights how reference genomes are being developed and used to identify targets for both traditional breeding and gene editing in woody horticultural species. Strategies for successful genetic modification including CRISPR-based gene editing will be presented as well.