Identification of QTLs for powdery mildew (Podosphaera aphanis; syn. Sphaerotheca macularis f. sp. fragariae) susceptibility in cultivated strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa)

PLoS One. 2019 Sep 19;14(9):e0222829. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222829. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Strawberry powdery mildew (Podosphaera aphanis Wallr.) is a pathogen which infects the leaves, fruit, stolon and flowers of the cultivated strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa), causing major yield losses, primarily through unmarketable fruit. The primary commercial control of the disease is the application of fungicidal sprays. However, as the use of key active ingredients of commercial fungicides is becoming increasingly restricted, interest in developing novel strawberry cultivars exhibiting resistance to the pathogen is growing rapidly. In this study, a mapping population derived from a cross between two commercial strawberry cultivars ('Sonata' and 'Babette') was genotyped with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from the Axiom iStraw90k genotyping array and phenotyped for powdery mildew susceptibility in both glasshouse and field environments. Three distinct, significant QTLs for powdery mildew resistance were identified across the two experiments. Through comparison with previous studies and scrutiny of the F. vesca genome sequence, candidate genes underlying the genetic control of this trait were identified.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ascomycota / physiology
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Disease Resistance / genetics
  • Fragaria / classification
  • Fragaria / genetics*
  • Fragaria / microbiology
  • Fruit / genetics*
  • Fruit / microbiology
  • Genes, Plant / genetics*
  • Genome, Plant / genetics
  • Genotype
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Diseases / genetics*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Quantitative Trait Loci / genetics*
  • Species Specificity

Grants and funding

JD, MK, and, MBB were partly supported by grant number 217587 from the Norwegian Research Council/RFF Hovedstaden. DJS, MB, NŠ were supported by a grant from the Autonomous Province of Trento to the Fondazione Edmund Mach. DJS and NŠ are affiliated to PlantSci Consulting Ltd., and MA is affiliated to Graminor Breeding Ltd. These companies did not play any role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.