Trait variation and genetic diversity in a banana genomic selection training population

Abstract

Banana (Musa spp.) is an important crop in the African Great Lakes region in terms of income and food security, with the highest per capita consumption worldwide. Pests, diseases and climate change hamper sustainable production of bananas. New breeding tools with increased crossbreeding efficiency are being investigated to breed for resistant, high yielding hybrids of East African Highland banana (EAHB). These include genomic selection (GS), which will benefit breeding through increased genetic gain per unit time. Understanding trait variation and the correlation among economically important traits is an essential first step in the development and selection of suitable GS models for banana. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that trait variations in bananas are not affected by cross combination, cycle, field management and their interaction with genotype. A training population created using EAHB breeding material and its progeny was phenotyped in two contrasting conditions. A high level of correlation among vegetative and yield related traits was observed. Therefore, genomic selection models could be developed for traits that are easily measured. It is likely that the predictive ability of traits that are difficult to phenotype will be similar to less difficult traits they are highly correlated with. Genotype response to cycle and field management practices varied greatly with respect to traits. Yield related traits accounted for 31–35% of principal component variation under low and high input field management conditions. Resistance to Black Sigatoka was stable across cycles but varied under different field management depending on the genotype. The best cross combination was 1201K-1xSH3217 based on selection response (R) of hybrids. Genotyping using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers revealed that the training population was genetically diverse, reflecting a complex pedigree background, which was mostly influenced by the male parents.

Metabolite database for root, tuber, and banana crops to facilitate modern breeding in understudied crops

“…In recent years many large‐scale efforts have sought to further understand these crops using genome sequences (Xu et al , ; D'Hont et al , ; Wang et al , ; Tamiru et al , ; Yang et al , ; Li et al , ) and genome diversity studies (Bredeson et al , ; Hardigan et al , ; Nyine et al , ; Christelová et al , ; Muñoz‐Rodríguez et al , ; Němečková et al , ), genetic selection (Wolfe et al , ), molecular markers (QTLs) (Monden and Tahara, ; Kim et al , ; Sharma and Bryan, ), and comparative transcriptome resources (Kundapura Venkataramana et al , ; Sarah et al , ; van Wesemael et al , ; Cenci et al , ) widely developed alongside morphologic, agronomic and phenotypic classifications (Oliveira et al , ; Rahajeng and Rahayuningsih, ; Dépigny et al , ; Girma et al , ; van Wesemael et al , ). The progress of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (http://www.rtb.cgiar.org), applying genomics‐assisted breeding to RTBs, has recently been reviewed (Friedmann et al , ).…”

Progress in understanding Pseudocercospora banana pathogens and the development of resistant Musa germplasm

“…(Ude et al, 2002;Nwakanma et al, 2003;Buhariwalla et al, 2005;Teo et al, 2005;Heslop-Harrison & Schwarzacher, 2007;Garcia et al, 2010;Saraswathi et al, 2011;Ravishankar et al, 2013;Brown et al, 2017). Currently, a form of marker-selection known as genomic selection is being developed for use in generating appropriate breeding models for the improvement of banana (Nyine et al, 2017).…”

Chromosome painting in cultivated banana and their wild relatives (Musaspp.) reveals differences in chromosome structure

“…Traditional breeding strategies for triploid banana cultivars involve development of tetraploids (4x) from 3x × 2x crosses, followed by production of secondary triploid hybrids (3x) from 4x × 2x crosses (Bakry and Horry, 1992, Tomepke et al, 2004, Ortiz ,2013, Nyine et al, 2017. Similarly, diploids play important role also in breeding strategy of diploid cultivars, 4x × 2x crosses are used to create improved cultivars (Ortiz, 2013).…”