Development of Drought Associated AFLP and EST Candidate Gene Markers in Fragaria sp. as a Simple Genomic Model of Rosaceae

Worldwide warming enhances the rainfall irregularity, makes a downfall in water resources. Drought is one of the main limiting parameters for agricultural production, which includes fruit. In this study, a standard method for measurement of dehydration tolerance was established to evaluate the degree of drought tolerance in Fragaria, the simplest genomic model in the Rosaceae, which comprise important fruit species like almond, apple, plum, etc. As a quick screening method for monitoring Fragaria genotypes in response to dehydration, a short-term water deficit experiment was performed, and two eco-physiological parameters associated with leaf water status, leaf relative water content (RWC), and leaf water losing rate (WLR) were measured in a total of 20 strawberry cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) from different breeding programs, as well as two ecotypes of the European diploid species F. vesca and one American octaploid species F. chiloensis. Fragaria genotypes were characterized in their response to drought stress by measurement of WLR and RWC, DNA fingerprints was performed for selected Fragaria genotypes using AFLP and candidate gene EST markers. Finally, the correlation between specific DNA markers and leaf WLR and RWC and possibility of using association mapping in a small set of Fagaria accessions were tested to create a set of correlated markers to the physiological drought involved traits in Fragaria. The extensive use of F. vesca as a characterized Rosaceae model plant species in this study ensures the benefit of characterization of drought response in other important Rosaceae fruit species, such as almond (Prunus dulcis Mill).