Double haploids, markers and QTL analysis in vegetable brassicas

Abstract

Double haploid (DH) plants of Brassica spp. can be produced via anther culture or culture of microspores. This paper reviews the uses of double haploids in crop improvement research in vegetable brassicas (B. oleracea). Applications of DH lines are described for breeding; construction of linkage maps; genetic analysis of quantitative traits and capturing genetic variation. The advantages and disadvantages of DH lines are discussed

Developing genetic resources for pre-breeding in Brassica oleracea L.: an overview of the UK perspective

“…Microspore culture is the preferred route in many cases due to the ease of use and the generally greater number of androgenic lines recovered (Lichter 1989), however the embryo yield is genotype dependent (Takahata and Keller 1991;Duijs et al 1992). When doubled haploid lines are generated for use in hybrid production, the time savings can be substantial, two years compared to eight or more (Dias 2001;Pink et al 2008). Doubled haploid lines have the advantage of eliminating residual heterozygocity and heterogeneity and as a result the assessment of quantitative traits is simplified.…”

Advances in in vitro culture of the Brassicaceae crop plants

“…chinensis (Cao et al 1994). Pink (2008) reviewed the applications of double haploids produced via an anther or microspore culture in crop improvement research on vegetable Brassicas (B. oleracea). Many studies employed microspore culture.…”

Haploids and doubled haploids in Brassica spp. for genetic and genomic research

“…This crop improvement approach allows the breeder to produce parental lines from any heterozygous plant (Dirks et al 2009). However, it may not always be beneficial when using doubled haploidy methods in a plant breeding program, as pointed out in a recent review (Pink et al 2008). It includes one round of recombination, which may be an advantage or disadvantage as beneficial gene combinations are maintained but detrimental linkages are not broken.…”

“…Most of the loci exhibiting excess of Early Big alleles (77 loci) were clustered on LGs C1 (N11), C2 (N12), C4 (N14), C5 (N15) and C7 (N17); those with an excess of TO1000DH3 alleles (62 loci) were on LGs C3 (N13) (in its entirety), C6 (N16) and C8 (N18) ( Table 1). For further discussion of distorted marker allele segregation in B. oleracea see Pink et al (2008).…”