Genetic analysis of mixed models of fruit sugar-acid fractions in a cross between jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) and wild jujube (Z. acido jujuba)

Yang Zhi; Zhang Chuanjiang; Yang Xinfang; Dong Mengyi; Wang Zhenlei; Yan Fenfen; Wu Cuiyun; Wang Jiurui; Liu Mengjun; Lin Minjuan

doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1181903

Genetic analysis of mixed models of fruit sugar-acid fractions in a cross between jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) and wild jujube (Z. acido jujuba)

Front Plant Sci. 2023 May 12:14:1181903. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1181903. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yang Zhi^{1

2}, Zhang Chuanjiang^{1

2}, Yang Xinfang^{1

2}, Dong Mengyi^{1

2}, Wang Zhenlei^{1

2}, Yan Fenfen^{1

2}, Wu Cuiyun^{1

2}, Wang Jiurui^{1

3

4}, Liu Mengjun^{1

3

4}, Lin Minjuan^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of High Efficiency and High Quality Cultivation and Deep Processing Technology of Characteristic Fruit Trees in Southern Xinjiang, the Production Engineering Laboratory of Characteristic Fruit Trees in Southern Xinjiang of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Plant Science of Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, China.
² Key Laboratory of Tarim Basin Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, Xinjiang, China.
³ College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China.
⁴ Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China.

Abstract

Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), an economically significant species in the Rhamnaceae family, is a popular fruit tree in Asia. The sugar and acid concentrations in jujube are considerably higher than those in other plants. Due to the low kernel rate, it is extremely difficult to establish hybrid populations. Little is known about jujube evolution and domestication, particularly with regard to the role of the sugar and acid components of jujube. Therefore, we used cover net control as a hybridization technique for the cross-breeding of Ziziphus jujuba Mill and 'JMS2' and (Z. acido jujuba) 'Xing16' to obtain an F₁ population (179 hybrid progeny). The sugar and acid levels in the F₁ and parent fruit were determined by HPLC. The coefficient of variation ranged from 28.4 to 93.9%. The sucrose and quinic acid levels in the progeny were higher than those in the parents. The population showed continuous distributions with transgressive segregation on both sides. Analysis by the mixed major gene and polygene inheritance model was performed. It was found that glucose is controlled by one additive-dominant major gene and polygenes, malic acid is controlled by two additive-dominant major genes and polygenes, and oxalic acid and quinic acid are controlled by two additive-dominant-epistatic major genes and polygenes. The results of this study provide insights into the genetic predisposition and molecular mechanisms underlying the role of sugar acids in jujube fruit.

Keywords: fruit; genetic predisposition; hybridization; jujuba; major gene +polygene; quantitative characters; wild jujuba.

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by the China Xinjiang Construction Corps Young and Middle-aged Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talents Program (2018CB032), the South Xinjiang Key Industry Science and Technology Support Plan Project (2017DB006), the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform and Base Construction Project (2019CB001), and China’s 13th Five-Year Plan Key Research and Development Projects (2019YFD1001605).