Quantitative trait loci controlling Phytophthora cactorum resistance in the cultivated octoploid strawberry (Fragaria  ×  ananassa)

Abstract

Genetics: Closing in on crown rot-resistant strawberries Crown rot results in major economic losses for strawberry growers; now three regions of the strawberry genome have been identified which are associated with resistance to the disease. A better understanding of these genetic mechanisms may lead to the development of more crown rot-resistant plants. Richard Harrison at NIAB EMR in Kent, UK, and colleagues used quantitative trait loci mapping to pinpoint specific regions of the cultivated strawberry genome associated with resistance to Phytophthora cactorum, the water-borne pathogen that causes crown rot. These regions appear to influence disease susceptibility independently of one another, but together account for 37% of variance in resistance to P. cactorum. A further genome wide association study identified another locus associated with rot resistance. Further work is needed to elucidate the mechanism by which genes clustering in these regions affect disease susceptibility.