Abstract According to literature, the apple cultivar SCS425 Luiza is a hybrid of Imperatriz♀ and Cripps Pink♂; however, molecular analysis of gametophytic self-incompatibility alleles showed the presence of an unexpected allele in SCS425 Luiza. This raised doubts about the fidelity of the pedigree. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the real genealogy of the SCS425 Luiza cultivar via fingerprint analysis. A total of 19 pairs of SSR primers covering 12 of the 17 chromosomes were used. ‘Imperatriz’ was tested as the female parent, and either ‘Cripps Pink’ or ‘Baronesa’ was tested as the presumed male parents. The results excluded ‘Cripps Pink’ as the male parent because most of the markers showed alleles of exclusion with Likelihood ratio (LR) value equal to zero. In contrast, when Baronesa was tested as the male parent, all alleles followed the expected segregation with very high LR values (>10.000). Therefore, it is concluded that the correct genealogy of the SCS425 Luiza cultivar is Imperatriz♀ and Baronesa♂.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a relação entre conteúdo de matéria seca (CMS) e índices de maturação na colheita e a qualidade de maçãs ‘Gala’ após a armazenagem. Maçã de quatro clones de ‘Gala’ produzidas em dois porta-enxertos e três regiões de cultivo foram usadas para os experimentos 1 e 2. Para todos os experimentos, a maturação dos frutos foi avaliada um dia após a colheita e os frutos armazenados foram avaliados após a retirada da câmara de armazenagem mais sete dias em 22°C. Para o experimento 2, os frutos foram colhidos no ponto de colheita comercial e armazenados sob atmosfera controlada a 0,7 oC por 195 dias. Para o experimento 3, frutos de dois pomares foram colhidos na maturação comercial e armazenados em atmosfera do ar a 1oC por 50, 110 ou 194 dias. O CMS não se alterou durante o estágio final de crescimento do fruto, embora tenha havido mudanças significativas na firmeza do fruto, índice de amido e teor de sólidos solúveis (SS) durante o mesmo período. Na colheita comercial, o CMS do fruto apresentou correlação com o SS, AT e firmeza da polpa. O CMS avaliado na colheita comercial também se correlacionou com o SS e AT após a armazenagem, mas não com a firmeza da polpa e o escurecimento da polpa (EP) após a armazenagem. O CMS reduziu ligeiramente durante o período de armazenagem. Os resultados mostram que o CMS não é uma medida confiável para monitorar a maturação das maçãs ‘Gala’ na planta nem para prever a firmeza da polpa e EP após armazenagem. No entanto, o CMS na colheita tem potencial para predizer o teor de SS e AT após a armazenagem, duas importantes características de qualidade dos frutos. A densidade dos frutos na colheita mostrou utilidade para predizer o risco de EP após o armazenamento.

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the relationship among dry matter content (DMC) and maturity indexes at harvest and quality of ‘Gala’ apples after storage. Apple fruit of four ‘Gala’ strains produced on two rootstocks and three growing regions were used for experiments 1 and 2. For all experiments, fruit harvest maturity was assessed one day after harvest and stored fruit was assessed after removal from storage plus seven days at 22 °C. For experiment 1, fruit were harvested weekly along the final stages of growth and maturation on the tree. For experiment 2, fruit were harvested at commercial maturity and stored under a controlled atmosphere at 0.7 oC for 195 days. For experiment 3, fruit from two orchards were harvested at commercial maturity and stored in air at 1oC for 50, 110, or 194 days. DMC did not change during the final stages of fruit growth, however, there were significant changes in fruit firmness, starch index, and soluble solids content (SSC) during the same period. At the commercial harvest, fruit DMC showed high correlation with SSC, titratable acidity (TA) and firmness. DMC assessed at the commercial harvest also showed high correlation after storage with SSC and TA but not with firmness or flesh browning (FB). DMC decreased slightly during storage. The results show that DMC is not a reliable index to determine ‘Gala’ apple maturity at harvest, or to predict fruit firmness and FB after storage. However, DMC at harvest has potential to predict SSC and TA after storage, two important fruit quality traits. Fruit density at harvest showed utility to predict risk of flesh browning after storage.

Resumo Mutantes de maçãs cv. Gala com maior coloração vermelha na epiderme têm sido plantados em novos pomares devido ao interesse dos consumidores e ao retorno financeiro aos produtores. O efeito de mutações somáticas, das quais os novos mutantes de maçãs têm sido originados, pode não se limitar à mudança da aparência da epiderme. Neste estudo, frutos de seis clones mutantes de ‘Gala’ foram comparados quanto a medidas de maturação e qualidade no período de colheita comercial e após a armazenagem sob atmosfera controlada refrigerada. Pomares experimentais foram estabelecidos em três regiões, e os frutos, analisados ao longo de quatro anos. A área da epiderme com coloração vermelha foi máxima nos frutos da ‘Baigent’ e ‘Galaxy’ e mínima nos frutos da ‘Royal Gala’ e ‘Imperial Gala’. Frutos da ‘Maxi Gala’ e ‘Gala Real’ apresentaram coloração avermelhada intermediária entre os seis mutantes. Não houve diferença significativa entre frutos dos seis clones mutantes quanto à massa, índice de amido, firmeza da polpa, conteúdo de sólidos solúveis (CSS) e acidez titulável (AT) na colheita e quanto à firmeza de polpa, CSS e AT após a armazenagem. Os frutos dos seis clones foram igualmente afetados por distúrbios fisiológicos (escurecimento da polpa, rachadura senescente, distúrbios por deficiência de cálcio e murcha) e por doenças (podridão externa, podridão carpelar e pintas de Glomerella cingulata) durante a armazenagem, indicando que eles têm o mesmo potencial de armazenagem. Apenas frutos da ‘Imperial Gala’ e ‘Royal Gala’ desenvolveram sintomas de escaldadura superficial, um distúrbio raro na cultivar Gala. O manejo da colheita e os potenciais impactos econômicos de mutantes de ‘Gala’ com alta coloração vermelha são discutidos.

Abstract Strains of ‘Gala’ apples with highly red-colored skins have been planted in new orchards based on consumer interest and financial returns to the producers. The effect of somatic mutation may not be limited to change in fruit skin appearance. In this study, six ‘Gala’ strains were compared regarding fruit maturity and quality attributes at commercial harvest time and after 210 days in controlled atmosphere cold storage plus seven days shelf-life. Experimental orchards were established in three regions and fruit assessed over four seasons. The fruit skin red color area was highest in ‘Baigent’ and ‘Galaxy’, and lowest in ‘Royal Gala’ and ‘Imperial Gala’. Fruit of ‘Maxi Gala’ and ‘Gala Real’ had intermediate skin coloration among the six strains. There was no difference among the strains regarding the fruit weight, starch index, flesh firmness, soluble solid content (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA) at harvest, and flesh firmness, SSC and TA after storage. Fruit of the six ‘Gala’ strains were equally affected by physiological disorders (flesh browning, fruit cracking, calcium deficiency disorders and shrivel) and fungal diseases (external decay, core rot and Glomerella cingulata spot) during storage, indicating that they have similar storability. Only ‘Imperial Gala’ and ‘Royal Gala’ exhibited superficial scald, an unusual disorder for ‘Gala’ cultivar. Harvest management and potential economic impacts of highly red colored fruit of ‘Gala’ strains are discussed.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar genitores e respectivas populações de macieiras quanto aos alelos S para confirmar sua genealogia e avaliar a eficiência dos marcadores moleculares utilizados. Conjuntos específicos de iniciadores foram utilizados para a identificação dos alelos S via PCR. Foram avaliadas duas populações segregantes do Programa de Melhoramento Genético de Macieira da Epagri resultantes dos cruzamentos entre ‘Fred Hough’ × ‘Monalisa’ e ‘M-11/00’ × ‘M-13/91’. As segregações esperadas são 1:1:1:1 para compatibilidade total e 1:1 para semi-compatibilidade, que pode ser confirmada pelo teste X2. O cruzamento ‘Fred Hough’ (S5S19) × ‘Monalisa’ (S2S10) foi identificado como totalmente compatível, e foram identificados dois triploides entre os híbridos. O cruzamento entre ‘M-11/00’ (S3S19) × ‘M-13/91’ (S3S5) se mostrou semi-compatível baseado nos marcadores moleculares e a segregação dos alelos S nos híbridos foi de 1:1 como esperado. A segregação dos marcadores de DNA para S2, S3, S5, S10 e S19 ocorreu juntamente com seus respectivos alelos S. Dessa forma, a caracterização dos alelos S, além de permitir identificar a compatibilidade entre os genitores, serviu para identificar contaminações em populações segregantes.

Abstract The objective of this study was to characterize the parents and respective populations of apple trees regarding S-alleles to confirm their genealogy and to evaluate the efficiency of the molecular markers used. Sixteen specific sets of primers were used for identification of apple S-alleles by PCR. Two segregating populations of the Epagri Apple Breeding Program resulting from crosses between ‘Fred Hough’ × ‘Monalisa’ and ‘M-11/00’ × ‘M-13/91’ were evaluated. The expected segregations are 1:1:1:1 for full compatibility and 1:1 for semi-compatibility, which can be confirmed by the X2 test. The ‘Fred Hough’ (S5S19) × ‘Monalisa’ (S2S10) cross proved to be fully compatible; and two triploids were identified among the hybrids as well. The ‘M-11/00’ (S3S19) × ‘M-13/91’ (S3S5) cross was characterized as semi-compatible based on DNA markers, and the segregation of the S-alleles in the hybrids was 1:1, as expected. The segregation of the DNA markers occurred together with their respective S-alleles: S2, S3, S5, S10, and S19. Thus, characterization of the S-alleles not only allowed identification of compatibility between parents but also identified contaminations in segregating populations.

ABSTRACT Apple orchards require the presence of a different genotype to pollinate the fruit producing cultivar. This is due to the process of gametophytic self-incompatibility present in most species and cultivars of the genus Malus. The fruit producing cultivar and the pollinizer must be genetically compatible to ensure fruit set and symmetrical and adequate fruit formation. The aim of this work was to evaluate five potential pollinizers for the new apple cultivar SCS426 Venice by genotyping the self-incompatibility locus (S-locus) and by controlled pollination in the field. The S-locus was screened using molecular markers and the fertilization capacity was evaluated by monitoring the fruit set after artificial pollination. Three genotypes were identified as semi-compatible (selection 135/140, cultivar SCS433 Felix 3 and SCS425 Luiza) and two as fully compatible (‘SCS431 Felix 1’ and ‘SCS434 Felix 4’) with ‘SCS426 Venice’. Regardless of the level of compatibility, all genotypes tested are efficient for the fertilization of ‘SCS426 Venice’ flowers and can be used as pollinizers in commercial orchards of this cultivar.

Abstract The Apple Germplasm Bank (AGB) of Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company - Epagri, AGB-Epagri, is the largest of the genus Malus in Brazil. Twenty-eight main accessions of this bank were virus screened through DAS-ELISA, RT-PCR and IC-RT-PCR during two consecutive reproductive cycles, and each accession showed latent mixed infection by at least two species, among ASGV, ASPV and ACLSV. The combined use of diagnostic methods helped overcome inconsistencies commonly found in apple virus detection and was shown essential for the AGB-Epagri can be safely used as a source of genetic variability and for the exchange of virus-free propagative material.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify self-incompatibility (S) alleles of advanced breeding selections of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). The S-alleles of 42 apple genotypes were analyzed by markers using allele-specific PCR amplification and amplicons digested with restriction endonucleases. Among the screened genotypes were cultivars, advanced selections, and accessions of the Apple Germplasm Bank of Epagri (Caçador, Santa Catarina, Brazil). Two S-alleles were identified in 36 genotypes, and only one S-allele was determined in the other six genotypes. In all, eleven S-alleles were identified among all the genotypes evaluated. The S3 and S5 alleles were most frequent (30.2% and 19.8%, respectively). The identification of S-alleles using molecular markers in important apple tree genotypes is useful for determination of compatible parents for breeding programs.