Estimation of storability for Korean apples (Malus domestica) using Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1 DNA marker

Apple (Malus domestica) is a climacteric fruit because of its high respiration and ethylene production. Ethylene affects the fruit by decreasing its quality and storability. Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1 genes are involved in ethylene biosynthesis in apple; the Md-ACS1-2 and Md-ACO1-1 alleles are associated with low ethylene production. We conducted an analysis to study Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1, and to examine ethylene production and softening rate of fruit at room temperature (20°C) storage in ‘Fuji (FJ)’, ‘Golden Supreme (GS)’, and 5 cultivars of Korean apples (‘RubyS (RS)’, ‘Hongro (HR)’, ‘Arisoo (AS)’, ‘Summer King (SK)’, ‘Greenball (GB)’). The result showed that an increase in the number of the alleles (ACS1-2, ACO1-1) decreased the ethylene production and softening rate. The presence of ACS1-1/1, ACO1-1/2 was confirmed in GS and the highest ethylene production and softening rate was observed. Ethylene production and softening rate of SK and GB expressing ACS1-1/2, ACO1-1/2 were higher than that of HR and AS, expressing ACS1-2/2, ACO1-1/2, but lower than GS. FJ with ACS1-2/2, ACO1-1/1 showed the lowest ethylene production and softening rate among all cultivars except RS. The Md-ACS1 and Md-ACO1 DNA markers could potentially be used to estimate storability and applied in marker assisted selection the improve the efficiency of apple breeding.