Seminarios IHSM La Mayora - Iban Eduardo (IRTA, Cataluña)

Biography Dr Iban Eduardo. IRTA researcher since 2015. He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in IRTA in 2005, constructing and analysing a collection of NILs in melon. He did three postdoctoral stages. The first one was in the Institute for Plant Biotechnology (IPB) from South Africa (2006-2007), working on sugarcane biotechnology. The second one was in the Parco Tecnologico Padano (PTP) in Italy (2007-2009), working on peach genomics. The third started in 2009 in the Genomics program from IRTA, where he continued in the peach genomics field. In 2015 started in the same Program as an independent researcher. He worked mainly in peach although has also some experience in other Prunus species, in some berry fruits and in some other species as melon. He has experience in different traits as fruit quality, disease resistance, phenology, plant architecture... His main research objectives are the development of new genetic and genomic tools or strategies, as Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) or Marker Assisted Introgression (MAI), and to apply them in breeding programs to increase breeding efficiency. In 2021 he published his first scientific popular book entitled ‘Plantas domesticadas y otros mutantes’. Abstract Peach (Prunus persica) is one of the most important temperate fruit crops in the world and Spain is one of the main producers. Peach breeding is a resource consuming task, therefore, new strategies that allow to increase peach breeding are needed. In this seminar we will summarize the different steps and strategies based on molecular markers that have been implemented in the IRTA peach breeding program, including the analysis of the genetic variability of germplasm, marker assisted selection (MAS), marker assisted introgression (MAI) and Resynthesis. Some examples of development of markers for peach MAS, the development of a peach NIL collection using almond as a donor species or the introgression of useful genes from almond into the peach background, as powdery mildew resistance or red flesh, and how to obtain an almond tree that is producing peach fruits will be presented and discussed.