Location: Southern Horticultural Research Unit
Project Number: 6062-21000-010-001-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2015
End Date: Jul 31, 2020
Objective:
To (1) evaluate blueberry species and ploidy levels that have superior abiotic stress tolerance; and (2) generate transcriptome and Ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNAseq) data for blueberry species and/or selections that have enhanced pH and drought tolerance.
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 be used to refine methodology for evaluating pH and drought tolerance in seedling populations. Gene expression studies will be used to better understand the genetic basis for improved response to pH and drought stress in rabbiteye blueberry plants.
