AUTHOR=Sharma Sadikshya , Marin Marcus V. , Lee Man Bo , Baggio Juliana S. , Peres Natalia A. , Lee Seonghee 

TITLE=Genomic approaches for improving resistance to Phytophthora crown rot caused by P. cactorum in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Agronomy

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/agronomy/articles/10.3389/fagro.2022.941111

DOI=10.3389/fagro.2022.941111

ISSN=2673-3218

ABSTRACT=<p>Phytophthora crown rot (PhCR) caused by <italic>Phytophthora cactorum</italic> is one of the most damaging soilborne diseases of strawberry in the United States and worldwide. Limitations on fumigants such as methyl bromide have led to deterioration in the control of <italic>P</italic>. <italic>cactorum</italic> in recent years. The development of resistant varieties is a critical component of the strategy for combatting this soilborne disease. Here, we review the biology of the pathogen, molecular mechanisms of infection, and management of PhCR in strawberry. Recent genomics advances in octoploid strawberry breeding have been able to gain a deeper insight into the genetic architecture of resistance to PhCR and identified the genetic resistance sources for the improvement of strawberry varieties against the pathogen. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with PhCR resistance have been identified and introgressed for breeding of PhCR resistance in cultivated octoploid strawberry (<italic>F</italic>. × <italic>ananassa</italic>). Further characterizing candidate genes and mechanisms of resistance could facilitate incorporating the resistance genes into commercial varieties through genomics-assisted breeding, respectively. In this review, we address important recent advances and progress for genomics-assisted breeding for the resistance to PhCR and the potential use of CRISPR gene editing in cultivated strawberry.</p>