The research priority of University of Florida strawberry breeding program is to develop new varieties with market-enhancing quality traits and diseases resistances. This will cut disease control costs for Florida strawberry growers and industries.
The UF strawberry breeding program has recently been adapting DNA marker technologies for new cultivar development through marker-assisted seedling selection. The availability of a high-throughput genotyping platform is vital for the success of marker-assisted seedling selection in the breeding program for new cultivar development with superior performance in Florida growing conditions through desirable yield patterns, horticultural characteristics, flavor, disease resistance, and other traits for fruit quality. Molecular breeding technologies can enhance new cultivar development and provide benefits to Florida strawberry industries.
For utilizing DNA tests in UF strawberry breeding program, several important traits for fruity aroma and disease resistance such as Phytophthora/Colletotrichum crown rot, anthracnose, and angular leaf spot have been identified. DNA markers were developed for an effective marker-assisted seedling selection. Other important traits such as powdery mildew and charcoal rot resistance have been characterizing to develop new DNA tests.
This application, therefore, is to continue the research to perform identifying important traits and developing DNA markers for enhancing fruit quality and disease resistance breeding through marker-assisted selection. Results from this research will be utilized collaboratively with the strawberry breeder at GCREC to coordinate development of new varieties.
