ARS | Publication request: The apple genome: ripe for harvest

Submitted to: Nature Genetics
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: September 28, 2010
Publication Date: October 17, 2010
Citation: Giovannoni, J.J. 2010. The apple genome: ripe for harvest. Nature Genetics. 42:822-823.

Technical Abstract: An international consortium of plant report sequencing of the cultivated apple (Malus x domestica) genome (Velasco et al., this issue). Apples are among the most widely grown and consumed fruits in temperate regions of the world. This is in part due to years of extensive breeding and selection the world-over resulting in a spectrum of varieties providing a treasure trove of colors, flavors and textures with broad versatility in the creation of fresh and processed foods. Equally important to apples prominence in the marketplace (though less appreciated) is the fact that its unique fruit structure, termed a pome, has proven to highly amenable to long-term controlled atmosphere storage, facilitating year-round availability of high quality fruit from a crop that yields fruit only in the fall. The genome sequence provides insight into the evolution of this agronomically important species and clues regarding the genetic basis of pome development. As such, it will provide a foundation from which further experiments can be designed to more fully understand apple genetics and biology, in addition to serving as a reference for important related fruit species in the family Rosaceae, including pear, peach, apricot, plum and cherry.