Trait genetic analysis and QTL discovery

Mapping QTLs for yield, agronomic, quality and disease and pest resistance traits in tetraploid potato

We embrace, develop and exploit novel genetic and genomic approaches for trait QTL analyses and allele mining targeting important agronomic and processing as well as disease resistance traits in potato.

We utilise bespoke diploid and tetraploid bi-parental mapping populations and ‘diversity’ populations as well as genome-wide association studies, bulk-segregant analysis, and genomic selection. These genetic approaches are combined with advanced sequence-based genotyping technologies such as:

• genotyping-by-sequencing,
• whole-exome capture sequencing,
• single-primer enrichment technology,
• GenSeq (generic enrichment and sequencing),
• RenSeq (resistance gene enrichment sequencing.

The combination of populations and technologies has been instrumental in mapping and characterising QTL regions with high resolution, enabling precision in identifying candidate genes for important potato traits such as:

• heat tolerance,
• tuber dormancy, 
• quality traits,
• disease resistance including PCN and late blight