Marker-assisted selection (MAS) in fruit trees: a promising approach to supporting varietal innovation

In the case of fruit trees, conventional breeding faces numerous constraints that significantly slow down the development and release of new varieties. Breeding methods are often empirical, owing to a limited understanding of the genetic factors involved, compounded by the influence of the environment. This has led to strong demand from breeders for new tools that would enable faster breeding. Over the past decade, significant advances in molecular biology in perennial plants – particularly in genetic mapping and techniques for analysing quantitative traits – have paved the way for a new approach: marker-assisted selection (MAS). This approach draws on upstream research and techniques enabling high-throughput genotyping of large numbers of individuals. It is already being utilised for simply inherited traits in several variety breeding programmes, notably for peach. However, although its development and implementation are more complex when dealing with traits with quantitative effects or when seeking to combine several traits of interest, it offers a genuine improvement on conventional selection. MAS therefore appears to be a promising approach for varietal innovation in fruit trees.