Application of GBS profiling in ornamental plants

The lack of sufficient genomic information of ornamental plants besides their polyploidy and large genome size are the main challenges ahead of their molecular breeding. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a viable method capable of developing a large number of DNA markers in a short course of time. Currently, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are recognized as one of the most studied and popular DNA markers using for various purposes in plant breeding. GBS (genotyping-by-sequencing) approach is one of the leading techniques that has emerged to evaluate the molecular characteristics of plants possessing complex or non-sequenced genomes using SNP markers. This method has so far been used for breeding and germplasm evaluation of some ornamental plant species including Rosa, Petunia, Hydrangea, and Gloxinia. Among these studies, one study is done to perform GWAS on Hydrangea macrophylla L., ten studies to investigate the genetic diversity of various ornamental species including Gloxinia, Dendrobium orchid, as well as ornamental trees Franklinia alatamaha Marshall and Cornus florida L., four studies to construct and elaborate the genetic map of plants species including Rosa and Petunia, three studies to develop molecular markers in rose, lilac and Hydrangea species and one study to investigate the genetic diversity within and between Iranian Eremurus spp. This is a potential method for examination of genetic diversity of plants, assembling high density genetic linkage maps, discovering the required molecular markers in QTL and GWAS studies, and verifying candidate genes including genes controlling the flowering process. Owing to the high efficiency and accuracy as well as the low cost per marker of this method compared to other genotyping techniques, GBS can be widely used in genetic studies, sequencing and breeding of ornamental plants.