Understanding, controlling and improving the flavour of almond kernels

杏仁可能是甜的、半苦的或苦的，前两类被作为新鲜坚果出售，而后者被用于杏仁仁等加工产品中。半苦的果仁比甜的果仁有一种更有趣的味道，我们需要工具来培育这个角色。苦的味道是由苦杏仁苷通过生氰途径传递的。该项目将描述甜、半苦和苦味的遗传控制，发育中的籽粒中苦杏仁苷的积累，以及生氰途径中的关键酶。对这些性状进行分离的杏仁种群将被使用，数据将被整合到澳大利亚杏仁减数分裂图谱中。

Almond kernels may be sweet, semi-bitter or bitter, with the first two categories marketed as fresh nuts, while the latter are used in processed products such as marzipan. Semi-bitter kernels have a more interesting flavour than sweet kernels and we require tools to breed for this character. The bitter flavour is imparted by amygdalin via the cyanogenic pathway. This project will characterise the genetic control of sweet, semi-bitter and bitter flavour, amygdalin accumulation in developing kernels, and key enzymes in the cyanogenic pathway. Almond populations segregating for these traits will be used and the data will be integrated into the Australian almond meiotic map.