Hops

Project description:

HOPTIMIZE will establish predictive breeding in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) enabling the prediction of yield stability under drought stress and quality for various applications already in early stages of the hop breeding scheme significantly increasing selection gain and ultimately combining hop production sustainability and competitiveness. We aim for phenotyping a diversity panel and five half-sib populations in multiple locations with contrasting soil water availability for developmental, physiological, yield and quality related traits. We will analyze carbon isotope discrimination of hop leaves under contrasting water availability to assess and improve water use efficiency in the field. High quality defining hop cone compounds will be identified and linked to sensory perceptions for determining significant tradeoffs in breeding more drought adapted hop varieties with good quality for brewing, pharmaceutical and industrial applications. We will analyze the genetic architecture of all phenotyping traits assessed. For traits with major effects, we will identify QTL and candidate genes paving the way for genome editing even in the specialty crop hop. Within HOPTIMIZE, we will perform in silico selection based on the adapted statistical methods and independently validate those predictions using newly developed and genotyped populations. Statistical methods will be optimized for targeted utilization of wild hop germplasm broadening the genetic basis of this versatile and fascinating crop.