FRUITDIV - Exploiting the Untapped potential of Fruit tree Wild DIVersity for Sustainable Agriculture
(HORIZON EUROPE 21-27 The project will focus on crop relatives of Rosaceae fruit tree species with the goal
to enhance our knowledge onto the wild germplasm that is available Europe-wide either in-situ or in gene-banks as well as capturing local knowledge on the historical use and behavior of CWRs;
to characterize this valuable plant material, phenotypically and genetically;
to develop up-to-date methods of selection and genomic prediction adapted to the use of CWR in breeding programs.
FEM activities:
- coordinate the workpackage "HTP genotyping of CWR core-collections and Information systems and tools for data management, integration, analysis and sharing";
- coordinate the sampling of different Malus sylvestris populations in Italy and will host an ex-situ collection;
- collaborate on developing new breeding strategies adapted to the use of CWR as breeding parents, combining marker assisted introgression for traits of interest (resilience, resistance to pests and pathogens, nutritional and fruit quality traits) with genomic prediction.
