Breeding for resistance to fire blight

95 ref.International audienc

Plant regeneration and transformation in the Rosaceae

The plant family Rosaceae consists of over 100 genera and 3,000 species that include many important fruit, nut, ornamental, and lumber crops. Members of this family provide high-value nutritional foods and contribute desirable aesthetic and industrial products. A complete annotated genome sequence is expected momentarily for apple, and in the near future for peach and strawberry. These sequences will accelerate the next wave of research exploring and comparing the form and function of the many genomes that define the striking differences in morphology and physiology among the Rosaceae, e.g., a herbaceous plant vs. a tree, or a fleshy rather than a dehiscent fruit. Among the many dividends of this research will be the development of superior products for consumers, a better understanding of the genetic elements that contribute to horticultural traits of interest, and an enhanced vision of Rosaceae evolution. It will also answer some of the fundamental questions of plant biology, particularly around the regulation of plant architecture, which may be best answered by species within this family. This review serves as a synopsis of the genetic engineering resources available to study the function and production of new Rosaceae varieties of benefit to the consumer

Expression of sb-37 gene in transgenic pears enhanced resistance to fire blight

International audienc

Expression of sb-37 gene in transgenic pears enhanced resistance to fire blight

International audienc

Transformed apples: traits of significance to growers and consumers

The first report of transformed apple plants in 1989 raised expectations for new apple cultivars that would be better tasting, healthier and easier to grow. Although, many different traits have been now been introduced successfully into apple, no transformed cultivars have yet made it to commercial production. Most early reports on transformed apple described ‘proof of concept’ experiments involving the development of regeneration protocols, and the choice of appropriate promoters and selectable markers. More recently the focus has moved onto functional testing of traits of potential commercial interest. These traits can be grouped into two categories: horticultural production traits and fruit-focussed traits. Production traits of interest include bacterial, fungal and pest resistance, dwarfing, propagation, stress resistance, precocity, storage life and self fertility. Examples of fruit-focussed traits include novel health properties, flavour, reduced browning, colour, and reduced allergenicity. This review will consider reports of characters introduced into apple that are useful to growers and consumers, and looks toward future trends, targets and challenge