Citrus biotechnology
Agricultural crops that can better withstand the changing climatic and pathogen landscape have been produced through natural selection throughout the millennia and, in recent years, through the process of human-assisted plant breeding and selection. However, a lack of genetic diversity in many commercially cultivated crops (due to monoculture) has made them more vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses (Esquinas-Alcazar, 2005; Keneni et al., 2012). Citrus, belonging to the Rutaceae family, is one of the most important commercial woody fruit crops in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The origin of citrus is traced back to parts of tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia (Wu e…
Ploidy manipulation and citrus breeding, genetics and genomics
Polyploidy appears to have played a limited role in citrus germplasm evolution. However, today, ploidy manipulation is an important component of citrus breeding strategies. For varieties, the main objective is to develop triploid seedless cultivars. For rootstock, the aim is to cumulate interesting traits in tetraploid hybrids and to improve adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. This chapter starts with a review of the recent knowledge acquired on the natural mechanisms of citrus polyploidization and tetraploid meiosis. Chromosome doubling of nucellar cells is frequent in apomictic citrus and results in tetraploid seedling production. Unreduced gametes are also frequently produced, mai…