Smart breeding for salad rocket

“沙拉”是最有营养的叶类蔬菜之一，但有益健康的化合物的浓度和叶子的味道变化很大。已知有许多因素会影响火箭的这些属性，但很少有技术研究来提高叶子的一致性和感知的“质量”。工业加工商和零售商最大的抱怨之一是全年和种植区之间的不一致。对于不同的消费者喜欢或不喜欢当前的火箭品种，人们已经了解了很多。有些人喜欢苦味和辛辣的叶子，而另一些人喜欢温和和甜。通过利用这些知识，并将其与遗传和化学信息相结合，我们建议为育种火箭提供工具，以提高消费者的接受度，提高营养密度，并提高种植区域的稳定性。我们还致力于生产资源，使植物育种者能够选择具有消费者可接受的标志性味道和风味特征的品种，同时保持与作物相关的最大健康益处。雷丁大学以前与Elsoms Seeds（一家商业种子商人和植物育种公司）和Bakkavor（一家由国际火箭种植者、加工商和分销商组成的公司）合作开展的工作已经产生了大量与火箭的化学和感官概况有关的资料。然而，对火箭物种的基因组研究几乎不存在，为了使作物取得重大进展，这些研究将需要建立起来。世界上第一个基因组测序火箭将于2015年底前开始，并于2016年春季结束。这些信息将使我们能够识别遗传密码中的特定“标记”，这些标记可用于识别具有特定属性的火箭植物，例如苦味，甜味或辣度。它还将使我们能够识别与对健康有益的化学物质（如硫代葡萄糖苷）密切相关的遗传密码区域。通过在不同的种植地点（英国和意大利）、气候条件（田间和受控环境）和整个供应链中检查数百个这些遗传“标记”，有可能为每个各自的环境创建一组“标记”，这将告诉我们植物是否倾向于符合所需的一组属性。通过从一代植物到下一代跟踪这些“标记”，育种者就有可能选择含有这些标记的植物，并最终与其他有前途的个体进行异花授粉，以开发新的品种。在项目的特定阶段（例如，在现场实验和工业加工试验期间），将对化学成分进行评估。我们的主要重点是硫代葡萄糖苷；一种能产生有益健康的化学物质的化合物，叫做异硫氰酸酯。一直以来，食用这些食物与降低患某些类型癌症的风险和降低心血管疾病的发病率有关。它们还能产生火箭叶特有的辣味。我们还对叶子的糖和氨基酸含量感兴趣。它们不仅影响味道，而且也是硫代葡萄糖苷分子的组成部分。通过了解每种化合物合成的遗传学，我们可以突出特定的“标记”特征，从而获得所需的感官特征。我们还可以识别出对期望的感官特征不利的标记，并取消对植物的选择，以确保它们不会在未来的种群中持续存在。该项目结束时创建的遗传资源将继续为埃尔索姆种子公司活跃的火箭育种计划中的选择提供信息。最终，这将创造出与现有品种相比具有一致和优越的感官和营养品质的新的商业品种。

'Salad' rocket is among the most nutritious of leafy vegetables, but concentrations of health beneficial compounds and the taste of leaves is highly variable. Numerous factors are known to influence these attributes in rocket, but very little technical research has been conducted to improve the consistency and perceived 'quality' of leaves. One of the biggest complaints from industrial processors and retailers is this inconsistency throughout the year and between growing regions. A great deal has been learned about what different consumers like or dislike in current rocket varieties. Some people prefer bitter and pungent leaves, whereas others prefer mild and sweet. By utilising this knowledge, and combining it with genetic and chemical information, we are proposing to provide tools for breeding rocket for increased consumer acceptance, increased nutritional density, and increased stability across growing regions. We also aim to produce resources that will allow plant breeders to select varieties with a signature taste and flavour profile that is acceptable to consumers, while maintaining the maximum health benefits associated with the crop. Previous work at the University of Reading, in collaboration with Elsoms Seeds (a commercial seed merchant and plant breeding company) and Bakkavor (a company composed of international growers, processors and distributors of rocket), has produced a large amount of information relating to the chemical and sensory profiles of rocket. Genomic research into rocket species however, is almost non-existent, and in order to progress the crop significantly these will need to be established. The world's first genomic sequencing of rocket is set to commence before the end of 2015, and conclude Spring 2016. This information will allow us to identify specific 'markers' within the genetic code that can be used to identify rocket plants with specific attributes, such as bitterness, sweetness, or hotness, for example. It will also allow us to identify regions of the genetic code that are heavily associated with health beneficial chemicals, such as glucosinolates. By examining many hundreds of these genetic 'markers' across different growing locations (the UK and Italy), climatic conditions (field and controlled environment), and the whole supply chain, it is possible to create a set of 'markers' for each respective circumstance that will inform us about a plant's propensity to conform to a desired set of attributes. By tracking these 'markers' from one generation of plants to the next it is then possible for the breeder to select plants containing these markers and eventually cross-pollinate them with other promising individuals to develop new varieties.At specific points in the project (e.g. during field experiments, and industrial processing trials) chemical components will be evaluated. Our primary focus is on glucosinolates; a type of compound that produces health beneficial chemicals called isothiocyanates. Consumption of these has been consistently linked with reduced risk of developing certain types of cancer and reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease. They also produce the distinctive hotness of rocket leaves. We are also interested in looking at sugar and amino acid contents of leaves. Not only do these influence taste, but they are also the building blocks of glucosinolate molecules. Through understanding the genetics of each compound's synthesis, we can highlight specific 'marker' profiles that will give a desired sensory profile. We can also identify markers that are adverse to the desired sensory profile and de-select plants to ensure that they do not persist within future populations.The genetic resources created at the end of this project will go on to inform selections within the active rocket breeding program at Elsoms Seeds. Ultimately this will create new commercial varieties that have consistent and superior sensory and nutritional qualities compared to existing ones.