Advances in marker-assisted selection for scab resistance in apple and cloning of the Vf gene

Abstract

This paper reviews molecular studies conducted on scab resistance in apple worldwide in the last decade. A detailed description of the DCA-BO and ETH-Zurich's activity, from the identification of molecular markers tightly linked to the Vf gene, their possible use in marker-assisted selection, advances of the map-based gene cloning strategy and the genetic trasformation of susceptible cultivars with the BIBAC technology to identify the resistance gene, is also surveyed