Applications of molecular markers in strawberry

Abstract

This review examines current and potential applications of molecular markers in strawberry (Fragaria spp.). The most prevalent uses of markers in strawberry are for analyses of genetic diversity, genetic mapping, and cultivar identification. Cultivar identification is by far the most important use of markers to date for the protection of intellectual property as well as to confirm the identity of nursery stock through multiple cycles of asexual propagation. These applications have been accelerated by continuous discovery of simple sequence repeat markers and the development of multiplexed sets. Mapping studies have confirmed the allopolyploid genome structure of cultivated strawberry and shed light onto genetic events that punctuate its domestication. Though marker-trait associations have been identified for disease resistance, photoperiodic flowering, and sex expression, marker-assisted selection in breeding is currently confined to a few entities in the private sector. Pedigree-based analysis holds promise for identifying additional marker-trait associations and simultaneously mining alleles in multiple genetic backgrounds. Meanwhile, the completion of the diploid strawberry genome sequence promises to accelerate candidate-gene approaches for marker discovery.