Improving Citrus Rootstocks in the Mediterranean

The European Union project on Citrus Breeding for Efficient Water and Nutrient Use, led by six research organizations working in the Mediterranean including the French Agricultural Research Center for international Development has just been completed. The project has developed standard protocols to identify physiological and molecular indicators for tolerance to salt and water stress which became the basis to identify candidate genes for salt, water and iron stress useful for varietal breeding and selection. The researchers also developed some ten new somatic hybrids through cell fusion via somatic hybridization of four Citrus x Poncirus. Intergeneric combinations for disease tolerance from Poncirus and abiotic stress tolerance from Citrus were conducted. In addition, the researchers found out  that the diploid and tetraploid progenies regulate the synthesis of abscissic acid - the key hormone in water and salt stress response as it triggers the closure of the stomata, hence avoiding water loss - in different ways.

Two regional networks have been set up: one will assess the new rootstocks at various sites and the other will improve the management and use of citrus genetic resources, particularly in Turkey, Tunisia and Morocco.

For details, view the press release at: http://www.cirad.fr/en/actualite/communique.php?id=1117