Location: Southern Horticultural Research Unit
Project Number: 6062-21000-010-002-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2015
End Date: Jul 31, 2020
Objective:
To (1) identify genes and gene networks across blueberry species and ploidy levels that are involved in abiotic stress tolerance; (2) annotate transcriptome data for blueberry species and/or selections that have enhanced pH and drought tolerance; and (3) identifying markers or gene function involved in improved abiotic stress tolerance in rabbiteye blueberry.
Approach:
Improved blueberry germplasm from ongoing ARS programs and breeding populations under investigation will be used for genomics-based research on improved environmental tolerance. Select materials from blueberry species, including rabbiteye blueberry, will generate transcriptome data. Comparative analyses will be used to better understand the genetic basis for genome evolution of the hexaploid rabbiteye genome and as a reference for gene expression experiments on blueberry plants subjected to pH and drought stress.
