The Website Purpose

This web site is to address our USDA-SCRI projects (1) new awarded NIFA SCRI project #2023-05687 entitled “Development of germplasm resources and molecular breeding tools to combat endemic and emerging diseases in US spinach production”; (2) previously awarded NIFA-SCRI project #2017-51181-26830 in 2017, titled “Developing Genetic and Molecular Resources to Improve Spinach Production and Management”. The previous project focused on first steps of moving from conventional to molecular breeding by screening resistance to three most important diseases in spinach production, downy mildew, white rust, Fusarium wilt, and developing foundational molecular tools (SNP markers and genetic maps). This proposal focuses on quantitative trait loci mapping, marker validation, and implementation for cultivar development. In response to producers’ feedback, this proposal added genetic characterization of Stemphylium and anthracnose leafspot, two increasingly emerging diseases affecting spinach production. Furthermore, we will use the improved genomic tools to introgress resistance effectively and precisely for cultivar development and evaluate developed germplasm using grower-oriented risk assestment tools.

The Project Goal and Aims

The overall goal of this project is to develop spinach germplasm with resistance against five key diseases and develop molecular tools for effective introgression of the traits for cultivar development. The efforts will be directed to identifying genomic regions that regulate disease-resistance mechanisms, generating and optimizing practical genetic tools to enhance selections, and developing resistant cultivars. The long-term goals of this project include the development of improved spinach germplasm, including cultivars and breeding lines, genomic resources, and genetic tools to facilitate selection, and improve breeding methods for breeders, researchers, and the seed industry that ultimately results on spinach varieties adapted to US production areas. The genomic regions for regulating resistance will be explored, with genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS) analyses to identify genomic intervals, genes, and SNP markers associated with resistance to all five spinach pathogens. The overall agenda aims to generate molecular breeding tools to expedite breeding for disease resistance and support growers in producing high-quality spinach sustainably with minimum losses to diseases and increased profits.