Molecular marker-assisted selection for seedlessness in atemoya breeding

Abstract Perennial plant breeding is an expensive and time-consuming process, mainly due to the extended growth time for juveniles. In these cases, the use of molecular marker-assisted selection (MMAS) allows for the selection of a characteristic of interest at the seed or seedling stages. The objective of this work was to characterize the segregation of the INO locus and to use MMAS for the early selection of seedless genotypes of atemoya 'Gefner' [(G; Annona cherimola Mill. × Annona squamosa L.) × Brazilian seedless (Bs; Annona squamosa)]. After primer validation and MMAS, 24 plants of the F2 population were selected and designated as candidate genotypes for the absence of seeds, as INO alleles were absent in them. For further studies on breeding programs for this species, 53 heterozygous seedlings were considered as genetic resources during selection.