Plant Breeding Department, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100

Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Murcia, SPAIN.

e-mail: fdicenta@cebas.csic.es

Almond Breeding:

Important issues and challenges for research

F. Dicenta, J. Egea, E. Ortega, P. Martínez-Gómez, R. Sánchez-Pérez, M.

Rubio, P.J. Martínez-García, E.M. Gómez, J. del Cueto, A. Sánchez-

Prudencio and T. Cremades

CSIC

Why breed almonds?

Solve problems by releasing new cultivars

California and Australia: High productivity.

Mediterranean countries: Low productivity.

Lost of production by frost.

Problems during pollination.

Rainfeed culture or low irrigation.

Cultivar situation

California: Nonpareil (40%), Carmel, Butte, Monterrey, etc.

Australia: Nonpareil (50%), Carmel, Prize.

Mediterranean and other contries:

A lot of authoctonous cultivars.

New cultivars from breeding programs:

Late blooming

Self-compatible

Results of breeding programs: the “new” cultivars

INRA CITA IRTA CEBAS-CSIC USA

Ferragnès Ayles Francolí Antoñeta Avalon

Ferraduel Guara Masbovera Marta Carmel

Lauranne Moncayo Glorieta Penta Butte

Mandaline Blanquerna Vayro Padre

Cambra Constantí Price

Felisia Marinada Sonora

Soleta Tarraco Sweetheart

Belona Winter

Mardía Independence

Vialfás Folsom

Other important results: scientific research

Genetic control:

Quantitative traits: Flowering, Maturity,…

Qualitative traits: Self-compatibility, Bitterness.

Floral biology:

Self-incompatibility.

Solid orchards with self-compatible cultivars.

Molecular markers:

Identification of cultivars (SSRs).

Early selection (locus S).

Other informations: Resistance, quality, etc..

Some practical examples for breeding

Predicting the values of seedlings.

Most of quantitative traits have high h2.

Assuring self-compatibility in the offspring.

SfSf, sharing Si-allele, self-pollination.

Avoiding bitter seeded seedlings.

Use of homozygous SS.

Early selection of self-compatible seedlings.

PCR allele specific of S-locus.

Early selection of self-compatible seedlings

Biotechnological advances:

Marker Assisted Selection

CPPCT027 0

UDP96-005 7

CPPCT026 28

PMS67 31

BPPCT011 48

G1

UDP98-025 0

BPPCT004 7

BPPCT002 10

UDP96-013 17

UDP97-402b 23

UDP98-411 26

UDP98-410 43

UDP98-406 55

G2

UDP97-403 0

BPPCT007 2

CPDCT047 4

BPPCT039 10

BPPCT021 18

CPPCT002 22

UDP96-008 30

CPDCT027 46

G3

BPPCT010 0

pchgms2 9

CPPCT028 14

UDP98-024 18

UDP97-402a 31

UDP96-003 37

pchcms3 53

G4

BPPCT026 0

UDP97-401 6

BPPCT017 21

PceGA025 30

EPDCU5183 EPDCU4658

38

BPPCT038 39

BPPCT014 50

G5

CPPCT008 0

UDP96-001 12

BPPCT008 22 UDP98-407 23

MA027a 34

BPPCT025 39

UDP98-021 46

CPPCT030 58

G6

CPPCT022 0

UDP98-405 9

UDP98-408 11

BPPCT029 17

CPPCT033 28

EPDCU3392 48

G7

BPPCT033 0

CPPCT035 2

UDP96-019 7

CPPCT006 14

PS1H3 18

UDP98-409 42

G8

Shw - Q1 Shw - Q1 Shw - Q1

Shw - Q2 D D D-Q Shw - Q2 Shw - Q2

Lf - Q1

Kw - Q1

Lf - Q1 Lf - Q1

Kw - Q1 Kw - Q1 Kw - Q2

Lf - Q2

P - Q

Dk - Q

Lb

56 S

28 Sk

Simulation of early selection

1.000 seedlings

Self-compatibility

(Sx,Sf x SySz)

Self-incompatible

500

Self-compatible

500

Bitternes

(Ss x Ss)

Bitter

125

Sweet

375

Bitter

125

Sweet

375

Flowering time

(> or < mean population)

<x

63

>x

63

<x

188

>x

188

<x

63

>x

63

<x

188

>x

188

Selection of seedlings in the orchard

Productivity Fruits traits Flowering

Fingerprinting of cultivars (SSRs)

Check authenticity of cultivars.

Different “Marconas” and “Desmayos”

Felipa = Filippo Ceo

Guara = Supernova = Tuono

Protect the registered cultivars.

New breeding objectives for the future

PRODUCTIVITY

Kg/ ha

€, $, Dirham/ ha

Early ripening (short cycle).

Resistance to diseases and pests.

Kernel quality for especific uses.

Cultivars for each culture model.

Breeding for productivity 2

00

7

200

8

200

9

201

0

201

1

201

2

201

3

201

4

201

5

201

6

201

7

201

8

201

9

202

0

202

1

202

2

202

3

202

4

202

5

Demand Supply

Breeding for early ripening

Cultivar Fruct Penta January February March April May June July August Septemb.

Desmayo 222 88

Ramillete 160 26

Marta 143 9

Antoñeta 142 8

Wawona 186 52

Penta 134 0

Rojo Pasión 73 -61

Flordastar 87 -47

Breeding for resistance

Important pest and diseases:

Navel orangeworm, Capnode…

Monilinia, Polystigma, Fusicoccum, Pseudomonas, Verticillium…

Benefits:

Reduction of costs.

Environmentally friendly.

Healthier kernels.

Difficulties:

Sources of resistance (other species).

Genetic control and inheritance.

Isolation and handling of pathogen.

Effect of environment.

Breeding almonds for each use

Breeding cultivars for each orchard model

Modern irrigated orchards.

High production.

Traditional rainfed culture.

Self-compatibility.

Resistance to drought and diseases.

New high density plantations.

High and early production.

Low vigour.

Good ramification.

The final real test:

The experimentation in culture areas

Frequently, new released cultivars are not significatively

planted or even pulled off.

Cultivars may behave different in each area and culture

conditions.

Performance of each cultivar is related to grower

knowledge.

Not one man in a thousand has accuracy of eye and

judgment sufficient to become an eminent breeder.

If gifted with these qualities, and he studies his subject

for years, and devotes his lifetime to it with indomitable

perseverance, he will succeed, and may make great

improvements; if he lacks any of these qualities, he will

assuredly fail.

Charles Darwin 1859

The Origin of Species