Selection of Central Asian apple species for scab resistance genes using molecular markers

Central Asia, one of the four apple origin regions in the world, has a significant diversity. The apple species in this region are particularly resistant to biotic and abiotic stress. Many of the mixed fruit forests, including apples, in Central Asia have been lost in the last half-century. It is emphasised that these forests can be preserved at the highest rate in mountainous Kyrgyzstan. Scab ( Venturia inaequalis (Cke.) Wint.), which is the most important apple disease in the world, causes a high level of production losses. Therefore, the best solution is to develop cultivars resistant to this disease. More than 20 major scab resistance genes have been identified in various cultivars and several wild relatives. In this study, four apple species found in Kyrgyzstan were screened using corresponding molecular markers for scab resistance. A total of 12 markers expressing 8 genes associated with scab resistance were used in the study. The 100 cultivars and genotypes used in the study produced bands for markers between 1–9. One genotype of Malus niedzwetzkyana species carried 7 of 8 resistance genes. This study reveals that Kyrgyzstan apple germplasm is an important resource for scab resistance and breeding with marker-assisted selection.