Genomic selection in Passiflora breeding for CABMV resistance and agronomic performance
摘要
This study aimed to implement and evaluate the potential of genomic selection within a recurrent breeding program for passion fruit, with the goal of developing a new cultivar resistant to cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV) and exhibiting strong agronomic performance. Data from the initial selection cycle of a Brazilian passion fruit breeding program were utilized. A total of 156 passion fruit plants were evaluated, selected from among the 97 families, and showing varying levels of viral symptom severity. The traits analyzed included mean area under the disease progress curve (MAUDPC), number of fruits per plant, total production per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter, average fruit weight, pulp weight, peel thickness, soluble solids content, and pulp yield. The Random Regression/Ridge Regression Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (RR-BLUP) method was employed for genomic selection. The selected genotypes consistently outperformed the population mean.MAUDPC exhibited the highest heritability (h2 = 0.84) and accuracy (AC = 0.72), indicating strong genetic control and high reliability in its genomic prediction. In contrast, peel thickness (PT) presented no detectable heritability (h2 = 0.00) and very low accuracy (AC = 0.09), reflecting the absence of measurable genetic variation with the available dataset. The information derived from genomic breeding values for important passion fruit trait, using the RR-BLUP approach, illustrated a notable potential for more precise estimation of breeding values, thus expediting the selection of superior individuals. This contributes to the implementation of genomic recurrent selection, enabling the development of more effective strategies and enhancing the efficiency of University of Northern Rio de Janeiro passion fruit breeding program.