Breeding SciencePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.25047
Walter Verweij, Sergio de la Fuente van Bentem, Marieke Ykema, Fréderic Perefarres, Nejra Solo, Albert Grit, Louison Liard, Bas Ter Riet, Martijn van Stee, Karin Posthuma, Gert-Jan de Boer, Jean-François Thomin, Rob J Dekker, Antoine Janssen, Jeroen Rouppe van der Voort, Kees Könst
{"title":"Harnessing genomics for fast development and commercial introduction of high-resistant tomato varieties to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus.","authors":"Walter Verweij, Sergio de la Fuente van Bentem, Marieke Ykema, Fréderic Perefarres, Nejra Solo, Albert Grit, Louison Liard, Bas Ter Riet, Martijn van Stee, Karin Posthuma, Gert-Jan de Boer, Jean-François Thomin, Rob J Dekker, Antoine Janssen, Jeroen Rouppe van der Voort, Kees Könst","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25047","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tomato plants are susceptible to a wide range of viruses, including those belonging to the genus <i>Tobamovirus</i>, which pose enormous threats to tomato cultivation worldwide. This article reviews a genomics-based breeding strategy applied for the rapid discovery and introgression of the newly identified <i>HREZ</i> resistance gene, which provides high-resistance to the recently emerged <i>Tobamovirus fructirugosum</i> (Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV)). From the identification of a novel viral tomato pathogen in 2015, an applied breeding strategy allowed us to launch a series of 18 tomato varieties within a time span of seven years.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"86-94"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437164/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of a DNA marker for cultivar identification of \"Harushizuka\", a new satsuma mandarin cultivar created by heavy-ion irradiation.","authors":"Kotaro Ishii, Takahiro Okubo, Yuki Shirakawa, Kanako Tomura, Mitsuhiro Kato, Tsuyoshi Teraoka, Ikuo Sawano, Teruko Nakajima, Hiroshi Kagami, Akiko Kamio, Tomoko Abe","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25046","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>'Harushizuka' is a novel late-maturing satsuma mandarin (<i>Citrus unshiu</i> Marcow.) cultivar developed through heavy-ion irradiation-induced mutagenesis. The S1152 line, selected from a nucellar seedling of the 'Aoshima unshu' cultivar for superior fruit quality, was irradiated with both carbon and neon ions. Mutations in fruit shape, color, and peel characteristics were observed in the neon-ion-irradiated group. From this group, we isolated the 'Harushizuka' cultivar, which exhibits delayed fruit coloring. The harvest season for 'Harushizuka' is approximately one month later than that of regular <i>C. unshiu</i>, allowing for a more spread-out harvesting period. To develop DNA markers for cultivar protection and identification, we performed whole-genome mutation analysis of 'Harushizuka' and its original cultivar 'Aoshima unshu'. Two mutations were identified: a 30-bp deletion and a 20-bp insertion. The PCR assay targeting the deletion successfully differentiated 'Harushizuka' from 21 other <i>C. unshiu</i> cultivars. Our findings demonstrate that whole-genome mutation analysis is a powerful tool for developing DNA markers, even in citrus cultivars with low genetic diversity caused by bud mutations or nucellar embryogenesis. The established marker enables rapid and accurate identification of 'Harushizuka', contributing to the protection of breeders' rights and the prevention of unauthorized propagation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"111-119"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437163/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Current status and future perspective of genomics-assisted breeding in wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.).","authors":"Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Fuminori Kobayashi, Goro Ishikawa","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25059","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This review summarizes the current status and future prospects of using genomic information for wheat breeding. Wheat has the largest genome among all major crops (~16 Gb), thus requiring a sophisticated approach to collect and utilize genomic information compared to other crops. In this review, we first describe the conventional methods of marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding. We discuss results from studies using DNA markers, such as those breaking the tight linkage between disease resistance and undesired quality traits. Although marker-assisted selection has achieved some success, breeding efficiency cannot be easily improved using this technique alone because several important traits, such as yield, are governed by a large number of genes. Recently-developed tools for genetic analysis, such as next-generation sequencing, are being increasingly used in wheat research. Therefore, we outline the history and current status of wheat genome resources, including reference genome sequencing, databases, analysis tools, and genotyping platforms. Further, we discuss the prospects for wheat breeding based on these resources. This review highlights the importance of incorporating new technologies to breed wheat varieties with high yield and quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"48-62"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437168/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Breeding SciencePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-18DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.25061
Tokurou Shimizu, Keisuke Nonaka
{"title":"Facilitating genomic breeding in citrus via reference panel-based whole-genome imputation of low-coverage sequencing-derived genotype data.","authors":"Tokurou Shimizu, Keisuke Nonaka","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25061","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) is advancing \"Citrus Breeding 2.0\" to produce diverse, high-quality hybrid citrus cultivars more efficiently by integrating genomic prediction, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and pedigree data. Reduced representation sequencing (RRS) methods, such as RAD-Seq, ddRAD-Seq, and GRAS-Di, facilitate large-scale, cost-effective genotyping; however, variable loci hinder cross-platform comparisons, limiting model reuse and GWAS follow-up. Therefore, we developed an Augmented Estimation of Unified Genotype (AEUG) workflow that converts RRS-derived genotypes into a unified set of predefined loci using a whole-genome resequencing reference panel that shares a common haplotype with target populations. Although Beagle-based whole-genome imputation achieved only 61.3-83.6% accuracy, genomic prediction for 17 fruit traits remained virtually unchanged after conversion, demonstrating the robustness of the workflow. The alignment of loci with ancestry informative markers for four pure citrus species also enabled the estimation of the ancestral origin of the trait-associated genomic regions. The AEUG workflow facilitates the integration and reuse of heterogeneous genotype datasets, enhances prediction accuracy, and enables ancestry-informed GWAS interpretation to accelerate citrus genomic breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"95-110"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437165/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Breeding SciencePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-13DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.25050
Yoshiki Ishiguro, Hiroto Yamashita, Takashi Ikka
{"title":"Advances in tea breeding in Japan: from traditional methods to genomic approaches.","authors":"Yoshiki Ishiguro, Hiroto Yamashita, Takashi Ikka","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25050","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tea, made from the tea plant (<i>Camellia sinensis</i> L.), is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. Traditional breeding methods have contributed to the development of cultivars with desirable traits; however, these breeding approaches are time-consuming and constrained by the limited genetic diversity of tea plants. Despite the significant impact of genomic information on crop breeding, its application in tea plants has remained limited. Recently, the rapid accumulation of genomic resources for tea plants has enabled the research development for markers-assisted selection and genomic selection in tea breeding. These genomics-based approaches are positioned as complementary methods to phenotypic selection. In this review, we summarize the advancements in breeding technologies for tea in Japan and highlight future directions for genomics-based tea breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"76-85"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Breeding SciencePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-28DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.25075
Shin Kato, Naoya Yamaguchi, Akito Kaga
{"title":"The current state of Japanese soybean breeding using DNA marker technology.","authors":"Shin Kato, Naoya Yamaguchi, Akito Kaga","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25075","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Following the recent global progress in the establishment of soybean genomic resources, DNA marker technologies have been actively implemented in soybean breeding programs in Japan, thereby enhancing the efficiency of varietal improvement and facilitating the successive release of cultivars developed through the application of DNA markers. In particular, DNA markers developed for the selection of useful traits, such as pod-shattering resistance and bacterial leaf pustule resistance present in foreign germplasms, have facilitated the precise introgression of only the desired alleles from genetically divergent foreign germplasms into Japanese backgrounds. By increasing selection efficiency and shortening breeding cycles, these advances have substantially contributed to the recent improvements in Japanese soybean breeding. The present review consolidates findings on genetic variations identified in Japanese cultivars and breeding materials, which have been investigated for the development of such DNA markers, and from knowledge expected to contribute to future soybean breeding in Japan.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"27-47"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437169/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The current status of crop improvement using DNA marker technology.","authors":"Toshio Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Fukuoka","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.76.1","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.76.1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"76 1","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13437162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148677161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Good-eating-quality QTLs detected in two breeding populations by genome-wide association mapping increase eating quality of the Japanese rice cultivar 'Koshihikari'.","authors":"Yoshinobu Takeuchi, Toshio Yamamoto, Jun-Ichi Yonemaru, Yoko Takemoto-Kuno, Shuichi Fukuoka, Makoto Kuroki, Akitoshi Goto, Kazuki Matsubara, Hiroyuki Sato, Hideyuki Hirabayashi, Nobuya Kobayashi, Masayuki Yamaguchi, Takuro Ishii, Ikuo Ando","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25025","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To identify QTLs controlling the eating quality of 'Akidawara', 'Satojiman', and 'Ikuhikari' rice, we performed a genome-wide association mapping analysis using two breeding populations in 2013 and 2014 derived from crosses between these and another parental line. Through sensory tests by a trained panel, we evaluated five components of the eating quality of cooked rice. Fifty-eight QTLs for these components were detected in breeding lines in 2013 (seven regions of chromosome [chr.] 1, 4, and 11) and 2014 (ten of chr. 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, and 11). The Akidawara, Satojiman, or Ikuhikari alleles at these QTLs increased eating quality. QTLs on the short arm of chr. 4, the middle of the long arm of chr. 4, the distal end of the long arm of chr. 4, and the short arm of chr. 11, were identified in both years. The genetic effects of the Satojiman alleles at QTLs on the distal end of the long arm of chr. 4 and on the short arm of chr. 11 were confirmed by analysis of two chromosome segment substitution lines containing a Satojiman segment in the 'Koshihikari' background in 2016 and 2017, in which the Satojiman alleles increased the level of eating quality of Koshihikari.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"75 5","pages":"358-368"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13129571/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147811486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Breeding SciencePub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.25016
Jie Ji, Hui-Cong Xue, Xing-Yu Zhu, Hiroto Kobayashi, Ainan Tian, Kenta Shirasawa, Hideki Hirakawa, Nobuko Fukino, Masaya Yamamoto, Hiroyasu Kitashiba
{"title":"Co-identification of candidate regions associated with ovule number per ovary through QTL analysis and GWAS in <i>Raphanus sativus</i> L.","authors":"Jie Ji, Hui-Cong Xue, Xing-Yu Zhu, Hiroto Kobayashi, Ainan Tian, Kenta Shirasawa, Hideki Hirakawa, Nobuko Fukino, Masaya Yamamoto, Hiroyasu Kitashiba","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25016","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ovule number per ovary (ONPO) directly determines seed quantity in plants. In this study, two radish (<i>Raphanus sativus</i> L.) accessions exhibiting marked phenotypic variation in ONPO and seed number per pod (SNPP) were selected to generate bi-parental populations for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. Additionally, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on ONPO using 206 radish accessions were conducted. Through an integrated analysis of QTL mapping and GWAS results, a major common QTL was identified spanning a 0.6 Mb region on the terminal of chromosome 5. Based on genomic position, gene ontology, and expression analyses, <i>RsFLK</i> was highlighted as the primary candidate, along with two other selected genes <i>RsSGT</i> and <i>RsEMB3004</i>. Subsequent comparison of the <i>RsFLK</i> promoter sequences in the parental lines revealed unique InDels that may affect its expression, potentially contributing to the high-ONPO. These findings provide new insights into the genetic regulation of ovule number in radishes.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"75 5","pages":"400-411"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13129575/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147811462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Breeding SciencePub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-14DOI: 10.1270/jsbbs.25032
Ahmad Zaelani, Sachiko Isobe, Kenta Shirasawa, Yosuke Yoshioka
{"title":"QTL mapping of key phenological and morphological traits in grain amaranth (<i>Amaranthus hypochondriacus</i> L.).","authors":"Ahmad Zaelani, Sachiko Isobe, Kenta Shirasawa, Yosuke Yoshioka","doi":"10.1270/jsbbs.25032","DOIUrl":"10.1270/jsbbs.25032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Grain amaranth is a promising alternative food grain owing to its nutrient-rich composition and ability to grow under poor environmental conditions. In this study, we aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with key morphological and phenological traits using an F<sub>2</sub> population of <i>Amaranthus hypochondriacus</i> derived from two commercial cultivars, Golden and Pygmy Torch. Nine traits were evaluated across three cultivation trials, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping conducted using double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing analysis. Genetic linkage maps were constructed based on SNP markers, and QTL analysis independently conducted for each trial. Three linkage maps were constructed, spanning 5640, 5970.3, and 6960.2 cM, respectively. In total, 12 QTLs were associated with the nine traits detected on Chr. 4, 6, 9, 10, and 16 in at least two cultivations, with QTL regions of the five traits overlapping on Chr. 4. Notably, seven QTLs (<i>AhPH6</i>, <i>AhSTD4</i>, <i>AhNN4</i>, <i>AhBI4</i>, <i>AhHC16</i>, <i>AhIFC16</i>, and <i>AhSCC9</i>) related to important morphological traits were consistently detected in all three cultivation trials. The study results provide valuable genetic insights for the improvement of <i>A. hypochondriacus</i> and suggest the possibility of using molecular markers for the selection of important traits to establish breeding programs more efficiently.</p>","PeriodicalId":9258,"journal":{"name":"Breeding Science","volume":"75 5","pages":"392-399"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13129576/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147811472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}