Abstract
Background
The changing climate is altering timing of key fruit ripening processes and increasing the occurrence of fruit defects. This work aimed to expand our knowledge of the genetic control of the ripening process in raspberry by examining a biennial x primocane F1 population to determine if the progeny exhibited both primocane and biennial flowering modes, which if any was dominant, and to identify QTL and genome locations associated with fruit development to understand how developmental control in this population differs from a biennial x biennial F1 population previously studied.
Results
The progeny from this biennial x primocane population exhibited primocane fruiting completing their lifecycle in a single season and also fruiting on second-year wood not removed in season one. QTL associated with rate of fruit development were identified on both primocane and fruiting canes with both parents impacting.
Conclusions
Novel QTL associated with the developmental process of primocane fruiting were identified. These in the main, differed from developmental QTL for similar developmental stages on fruiting canes (second year canes) with only one significant overlap on linkage group 6. In general, the process of development on fruiting canes overall differed from that in a biennial x biennial population, with the differences being greatest on linkage groups 3 and 6 suggesting control of development differs in the different fruiting types. Further understanding will be achieved by examining genome regions linked to QTL to allow breeding to meet climate requirements for yield stability.