The Project

SNP and QTL Discovery of Peach Fruit Quality Genes

The overall goal of this program is to improve the quality and safety of peach fruit and almond in the human diet, via genomic technologies.

Specific goals include:

The development of freestone canning peach cultivars which are free of the negative qualities: pit bleeding and flesh browning.

The development of fresh market peach cultivars with improved texture and a shelf life suitable for fresh-cut produce.

An SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) is a small change, or variation, occurring in the genetic sequence of an individual. The genetic code contains four nucletides, designated by the letters, A, C, T, and G. SNP variation occurs when a single nucleotide, such as an A, replaces one of the other nucleotides--the C, T or G.

QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci) are stretches of DNA closely linked to the genes that underlie a specific trait. QTLs can be molecularly identified to help map regions of the genome that contain these genes.

It is hoped that our work with SNP and QTLs will advance knowledge of plant genomics and provide tools, primarily to peach breeders, and potentially, to other stone fruit breeders, to rapidly select and incorporate fruit quality genes into applied fruit breeding programs.

Dr. Carlos Crisosto, Project Principal Investigator, examines peaches in an orchard at the UC Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier, CA