Genome Research on Peach and Pear

A lot of SSRs (simple sequence repeats) in peach and pear from enriched genomic libraries and in peach from a cDNA library were developed. These SSRs were applied to other related species, giving phenograms of 52 Prunus and 60 pear accessions. Apple SSRs could also be successfully used in Pyrus spp. Thirteen morphological traits were characterized on the basis of the linkage map obtained from an $F_2$ population of peach. This map was compiled with those morphological markers and 83 DNA markers, including SSR markers used as anchor loci, to compare different peach maps. Molecular markers tightly linked to new root-knot nematode resistance genes were also found. A linkage map including disease-related genes, pear scab resistance and black spot susceptibility, in the Japanese pear Kinchaku were constructed using 118 RAPD markers. Another linkage map, of the European pear Bartlett, was also constructed with 226 markers, including 49 SSRs from pear, apple, peach and chewy. Maps of other Japanese pear cultivars, i.e., Kousui and Housui, were also constructed. These maps were the first results of pear species.