High Resolution Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping and Whole Genome Sequencing Enable the Design of an -Specific Homoeo-Allelic Marker for Fruit Colour Improvement in Octoploid Strawberry ().

Fruit colour is central to the sensorial and nutritional quality of strawberry fruit and is therefore a major target in breeding programmes of the octoploid cultivated strawberry (). The red colour of the fruit is caused by the accumulation of anthocyanins, which are water-soluble flavonoids. To facilitate molecular breeding, here we have mapped with high resolution fruit colour quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (COLOUR, scored visually as in selection programmes) and associated flavonoid metabolic QTLs (5 anthocyanins compounds together with 8 flavonols and flavan-3-ols) to specific subgenomes of cultivated strawberry.

Metabolite Quantitative Trait Loci for Flavonoids Provide New Insights into the Genetic Architecture of Strawberry () Fruit Quality.

Flavonoids are products from specialized metabolism that contribute to fruit sensorial (color) and nutritional (antioxidant properties) quality. Here, using a pseudo full-sibling F progeny previously studied for fruit sensorial quality of cultivated strawberry (), we explored over two successive years the genetic architecture of flavonoid-related traits using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (13 compounds including anthocyanins, flavonols, and flavan-3-ols) and colorimetric assays (anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolics, and total antioxidant capacity (ferric reducing antioxidant power and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity)). Network correlation analysis highlighted the high connectivity of flavonoid compounds within each chemical class and low correlation with colorimetric traits except for anthocyanins.