Unveiling the genetic control of repeat flowering in blueberry with a novel continuous quantitative phenotyping approach

Abstract

Flowering in perennial crops is a trait influenced by genetics, environmental cues and plant vigor. Here, we studied the genetic and environmental control of repeat flowering (RF) in blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum ). RF was measured in a full-sib population from a cross between repeat and non-repeat flowering cultivars (‘Hortblue Petite’ and ‘Nui’, respectively). Longitudinal phenotypes were used to model the area under the curve for the first and second flowering peaks. We found that RF was strongly influenced by bush size and vigor, which we then incorporated into the area under the flowering curve models. Quantitative trait loci linked to both first bloom and RF were detected at three hotspots on chromosomes 4 and 10, and genes of interest known to regulate flowering under both temperature and photoperiod control were discussed. The phenotyping protocol and statistical modelling method reported here are an effective strategy for the investigation of complex interactions between multiple genetic loci and environmental variables on developmental traits, such as flowering. Experimental designs with replicated multi-environment and multi-year measurements are now needed to corroborate our results and further elucidate the determinism of RF in blueberry.

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