Screening of raspberry <i>Rubus idaeus</i> plants of the FSBSO ARHCBAN collection for a marker associated with the <i>RBDV</i> virus resistance trait

Abstract

Viral damage produces a significant detrimental effect on raspberry plantations. Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) appears particularly harmful, capable to significantly reduce raspberry yields. The high prevalence of RBDV is due to its ability to be transmitted by pollen and the absence of visible symptoms on plants during the first stages of infection. Breeding of RBDV-resistant varieties can significantly reduce the damage caused by RBDV infection. Therefore, a search for genetic markers of RBDV resistance is considered particularly relevant. At present, the Bu gene is identified with the dominant mode of inheritance associated with the trait of resistance to RBDV. A number of markers, successfully tested on a large sample of foreign raspberry varieties, enable resistant phenotypes to be predicted with high accuracy. However, their testing on Russian varieties is still to be carried out. The paper presents the results of PCR-mediated searching for a diagnostic fragment of the marker rasp_N_gene_1202, associated with the trait of raspberry resistance to RBDV, involving 14 raspberry varieties from the collection of the Federal Horticultural Center. The research was conducted to test the efficacy of the rasp_N_gene_1202 marker in order to identify RBDV-resistant genotypes. The experiment involved 12 Russian varieties and two foreign varieties used as positive control. The work was carried out in the Laboratory of Reproductive Biotechnology of Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery in 2023. Based on the analysis, a potentially RBDV-resistant variety ‘Arisha’ was identified. In addition, the diagnostic fragment was detected in moderately resistant and resistant varieties: ‘Gussar’, ‘Orangevoye Chudo’ and ‘Poklon Kazakovu’. However, no diagnostic fragment was detected in the resistant varieties ‘Lavina’ and ‘Medvezhonok’. For this reason, the investigated marker is recommended to be used in combination with other known markers of resistance to RBDV in order to increase the reliability of screening results. No diagnostic DNA fragment was detected on varieties with susceptible phenotype using the tested marker. The obtained data can be used in the selection process to develop new RBDV-resistant varieties.