In vitro breeding - shortcut to Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) tolerant kiwifruit

摘要

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) causes the bacterial canker disease on kiwifruit vines. The disease outbreak has been reported in several countries worldwide, including New Zealand. Here, we briefly reviewed the current situation of Psa infection of kiwifruit vines in New Zealand, the effects of Psa on the New Zealand's kiwifruit industry, and the disease control and breeding programmes undertaken in response to the outbreak of Psa in New Zealand. Then the methodology of an alternative breeding approach or in vitro breeding, which is a non-GM approach to obtain useful plant tissue culture-derived genetic variation in crop plants, was discussed. As a specific example of potential application of in vitro breeding, a novel plant breeding project idea based on the elemental defence mechanism is to generate Cu/Zn tolerant kiwifruit varieties that exhibit improved Psa tolerance.