Potatoes are one of the world’s most important food crops, but breeding them is not always easy. The majority of diploid potato clones (Solanum spp.) possess gametophytic self-incompatibility that is primarily controlled by a single multiallelic locus called the S-locus which is composed of tightly linked genes, S-RNase (S-locus RNase) and multiple SLFs (S locus F-box proteins), which are expressed in the style and pollen, respectively. Using S-RNase genes known to function in the Solanaceae gametophytic SI mechanism, we identified S-RNase alleles with flower-specific expression in two diploid self-incompatible potato lines using genome re-sequencing data. Recent advances in genome editing, especially using a Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) approach, have provided a promising solution. By carefully targeting and modifying the genes responsible for self-incompatibility, researchers can make diploid potatoes self-compatible. This change allows plants to produce seeds through self-fertilization, speeding up breeding programs and making the development of disease-resistant, climate-tolerant, and higher-yielding potato varieties much more efficient.
Key words: Genome, potato, diploid, breeding
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