2019 ASHS Annual Conference

The importance of dietary health-promoting fruit crops has led to the production of many berry fruits globally. Berry crops are rich in vitamin C, pectin and other bioactive compounds. They produce anthocyanins which have significant therapeutic value, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiulcer and antioxidant activities. Maintenance, preservation and evaluation of wild berry germplasm are of prime importance for their utilization in maintaining biodiversity, proprietary-rights protection and for enhancing genetic improvement. The use of DNA-based markers allow direct comparison of different genetic material independent of environmental influences. Genetic diversity analysis in berry germplasm will facilitate reliable genotypes classification and identification of accessions with possible use in a breeding program. The current review deals with in-depth study of various aspects of molecular diversity analyses using a number of DNA markers. Progress in wild germplasm collection and their characterization at morphological and biochemical levels is also described. Identification of desirable genotypes for high antioxidant properties and genetic variation are essential to develop environmentally friendly cultivars suited to the consumers’ needs.