Genetic and environmental effects influencing fruit colour and QTL analysis in raspberry

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) fruit colour was assessed in the Latham x Glen Moy mapping population using a colour meter and visual scores over three seasons and three environments. The colour measurements were found to be significantly associated with pigment content, have high heritability, and stable QTL were identified across environments and seasons. Anthocyanin content has previously been shown to be the major contributor to fruit colour in red raspberry. Major structural genes (F3'H, FLS, DFR, IFR, OMT and GST) and transcription factors (bZIP, bHLH and MYB) influencing flavonoid biosynthesis have been identified, mapped and shown to underlie QTL for quantitative and qualitative anthocyanin composition. Favourable alleles for the selected traits were identified for the aspects of fruit colour and partitioning of individual pigments.