Identification of SCAR markers linked to Rca2 anthracnose resistance gene and their assessment in strawberry germplasm

Bulked segregant analysis combined with AFLPs was used to identify molecular markers linked to the Rca2 gene conferring resistance to Colletotrichum acutatum pathogenicity group 2 which causes anthracnose in the octoploid strawberry Fragaria × ananassa. DNA bulks originating from a cross between the resistant cultivar ‘Capitola’ and the susceptible cultivar ‘Pajaro’ were screened with 110 EcoRI/MseI AFLP combinations. Four AFLP markers were found linked in coupling phase to Rca2 with recombination percentages between 0% and 17.7%. Among the four markers linked to the resistance gene, two were converted into SCAR markers (STS-Rca2_417 and STS-Rca2_240) and screened in a large segregating population including 179 genotypes. The Rca2 resistance gene was estimated to be 0.6 cM from STS-Rca2_417 and 2.8 cM from STS-Rca2_240. The presence/absence of the two SCAR markers was further studied in 43 cultivars of F. × ananassa, including 14 susceptible, 28 resistant, and one intermediate genotype. Results showed that 81.4% and 62.8% of the resistant/susceptible genotypes were correctly predicted by using STS-Rca2_417 and STS-Rca2_240, respectively. The 14 susceptible genotypes showed no amplification for either SCARs. These developed SCARs constitute new tools for indirect selection criteria of anthracnose resistance genotypes in strawberry breeding programs.