Association mapping of cold-induced sweetening in potato using historical phenotypic data

Abstract

In this study, historical phenotypic data from a potato breeding programme were used with an association mapping approach to identify alleles of candidate genes associated with cold-induced sweetening of potato. Molecular marker analysis was used to determine allelic variation of candidate genes potentially involved in cold-induced sweetening. Variations in the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase, EC 2.7.7.9) and apoplastic invertase genes (EC 3.2.1.26) were significantly associated with cold-induced sweetening, and a possible interaction of apoplastic invertase and apoplastic invertase inhibitor was identified. This demonstrates that breeding programme phenotypic data collected over multiple years and environments can be used successfully with pedigree information for association mapping. It also confirms that the UGPase and apoplastic invertase markers are transferable across breeding programmes with distinct germplasm.