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Genetic Approaches to Improve the Flavors and Appearance of Fruits,...
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Genetic Approaches to Improve the Flavors and Appearance of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 November 2021) | Viewed by 10585

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Itay Gonda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Unit of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, IL-30095 Ramat Yishay, Israel
Interests: genetics and genomics of aromatic and medicinal plants chemical and agricultural quality of herbs
Prof. Dr. Efraim Lewinsohn

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Vegetable Crops, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O.Box 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Interests: aromatic plants; natural products; fruits flavor

Special Issue Information

Background: The flavor of agricultural products is the sensorial experience we experience once we eat or drink. This experience is attributed to the presence of a mixture of chemicals perceived by our taste and olfactory receptors. The composition of this mixture of chemicals is the result of the genetic and genomic make-up of the given plant that brings about the final product we consume.

Aim and scope: To make the research on the genetic basis of flavor production in plants more accessible and communicative. To bring state-of-the-art works dealing with the flavor of agricultural products under the same roof, and to create a thoughtful discussion about the opportunities and future of the field.

History: Traditionally, most breeding programs did not pay enough attention to the flavor of the final product and mainly focused on yield, disease resistance and shelf-life. In the last 15 years, an increasing number of scientists are committed to basic and applied research to provide genetic and agrotechnical tools to improve the flavor of herb, fruits and vegetables.

Cutting-edge research: Recent research has indicated that the available gene pool, present in heirloom accessions and wild relatives of the commonly used cultivars, can enhance the flavor of agricultural products. Transgenic methodologies have also expanded the source of genes outside the crop in question, and recent efforts study the potential of harnessing the genome editing system, CRISPR:Cas9, to improve and manipulate product flavors.

What kind of papers we are soliciting: Any paper that describes the involvement of genes or genetic components in the production of flavor in herbs, fruits and vegetables would be acceptable. Papers describe methods to evaluate the flavor of agricultural products are welcome as well.

Dr. Itay Gonda
Prof. Efraim Lewinsohn
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Genes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Aroma
  • Volatiles
  • Sweetness
  • Bitterness
  • Flavor
  • Herbs
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Taste

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 6017 KiB  
Article
The Genetic Basis of Anthocyanin Acylation in North American Grapes (Vitis spp.)
by Avinash Karn, Luis Diaz-Garcia, Noam Reshef, Cheng Zou, David C. Manns, Lance Cadle-Davidson, Anna Katharine Mansfield, Bruce I. Reisch and Gavin L. Sacks
Genes 2021, 12(12), 1962; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12121962 - 09 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3345
Abstract
Hydroxycinnamylated anthocyanins (or simply ‘acylated anthocyanins’) increase color stability in grape products, such as wine. Several genes that are relevant for anthocyanin acylation in grapes have been previously described; however, control of the degree of acylation in grapes is complicated by the lack [...] Read more.
Hydroxycinnamylated anthocyanins (or simply ‘acylated anthocyanins’) increase color stability in grape products, such as wine. Several genes that are relevant for anthocyanin acylation in grapes have been previously described; however, control of the degree of acylation in grapes is complicated by the lack of genetic markers quantitatively associated with this trait. To characterize the genetic basis of anthocyanin acylation in grapevine, we analyzed the acylation ratio in two closely related biparental families, Vitis rupestris B38 × ‘Horizon’ and ‘Horizon’ × Illinois 547-1, for 2 and 3 years, respectively. The acylation ratio followed a bimodal and skewed distribution in both families, with repeatability estimates larger than 0.84. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping with amplicon-based markers (rhAmpSeq) identified a strong QTL from ‘Horizon’ on chromosome 3, near 15.85 Mb in both families and across years, explaining up to 85.2% of the phenotypic variance. Multiple candidate genes were identified in the 14.85–17.95 Mb interval, in particular, three copies of a gene encoding an acetyl-CoA-benzylalcohol acetyltransferase-like protein within the two most strongly associated markers. Additional population-specific QTLs were found in chromosomes 9, 10, 15, and 16; however, no candidate genes were described. The rhAmpSeq markers reported here, which were previously shown to be highly transferable among the Vitis genus, could be immediately implemented in current grapevine breeding efforts to control the degree of anthocyanin acylation and improve the quality of grapes and their products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Improve the Flavors and Appearance of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs)
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20 pages, 2421 KiB  
Article
Breeding Tomato Hybrids for Flavour: Comparison of GWAS Results Obtained on Lines and F1 Hybrids
by Estelle Bineau, José Luis Rambla, Santiago Priego-Cubero, Alexandre Hereil, Frédérique Bitton, Clémence Plissonneau, Antonio Granell and Mathilde Causse
Genes 2021, 12(9), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12091443 - 18 Sep 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4443
Abstract
Tomato flavour is an important goal for breeders. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major determinants of tomato flavour. Although most tomato varieties for fresh market are F1 hybrids, most studies on the genetic control of flavour-related traits are performed on lines. We quantified [...] Read more.
Tomato flavour is an important goal for breeders. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major determinants of tomato flavour. Although most tomato varieties for fresh market are F1 hybrids, most studies on the genetic control of flavour-related traits are performed on lines. We quantified 46 VOCs in a panel of 121 small fruited lines and in a test cross panel of 165 hybrids (the previous panel plus 44 elite cherry tomato lines crossed with a common line). High and consistent heritabilities were assessed for most VOCs in the two panels, and 65% of VOC contents were strongly correlated between lines and hybrids. Additivity was observed for most VOCs. We performed genome wide association studies (GWAS) on the two panels separately, along with a third GWAS on the test cross subset carrying only F1 hybrids corresponding to the line panel. We identified 205, 183 and 138 associations, respectively. We identified numerous overlapping associations for VOCs belonging to the same metabolic pathway within each panel; we focused on seven chromosome regions with clusters of associations simultaneously involved in several key VOCs for tomato aroma. The study highlighted the benefit of testcross panels to create tasty F1 hybrid varieties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Improve the Flavors and Appearance of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs)
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7 pages, 482 KiB  
Communication
Muscat Flavor in Grapevine: A Digital PCR Assay to Track Allelic Variation in VvDXS Gene
by Caterina Morcia, Giorgio Tumino, Stefano Raimondi, Anna Schneider and Valeria Terzi
Genes 2021, 12(5), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12050747 - 16 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2112
Abstract
The aroma of grapes and derived wines has long been one of the major traits considered in the selection of grapevine varieties through the centuries. In particular, Muscat aromatic grapes have been highly appreciated and widespread since ancient times. Monoterpenes are the key [...] Read more.
The aroma of grapes and derived wines has long been one of the major traits considered in the selection of grapevine varieties through the centuries. In particular, Muscat aromatic grapes have been highly appreciated and widespread since ancient times. Monoterpenes are the key compounds responsible for the Muscat flavor. A major QTL affecting monoterpene level has been found to co-localize with the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (VvDXS) gene, encoding for the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase enzyme involved in the plastidial pathway of terpene biosynthesis. In more detail, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP 1822) in the coding region of the gene causes a “gain of function” mutation, which is involved in Muscat flavor. In this work, we have developed a digital PCR-based assay to target allelic variations in the VvDXS gene, SNP1822, with the aim to propose a fast and sensitive analytical tool for targeting Muscat-flavored grapevine genotypes. The assay accurately predicts the genetic structure at 1822 SNP, critical for the development of the aroma in the great majority of Muscats. In the case of grapes in which the aromatic component is due to mutations other than SNP 1822 (e.g., Chasselas Musqué and Chardonnay Muscat), further specific assays can be developed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Approaches to Improve the Flavors and Appearance of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs)
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