Jaime Prohens - Introgression breeding in eggplant

Jaime Prohens Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. Introgression breeding in eggplant Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is native to southeast Asia and is related to a large number of species from Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum. Despite the economic importance of eggplant, introgression breeding has been barely used in eggplant. Utilization of the large diversity of the eggplant crop wild relatives (CWRs) can be of great relevance for adaptation to climate change. We started a programme of hybridization of eggplant with CWRs from the primary (GP1), secondary (GP2) and tertiary (GP3) genepools and obtained hybrids and backcrosses with 15 different species, including one American species (S. elaeagnifolium). Hybrids with eight species were backcrossed for several generations to the cultivated eggplant. For S. insanum (GP1), S. dasyphyllum (GP2), S. incanum (GP2) and S. elaeagnifolium (GP3) we have performed an introgression line development programme using molecular markers in each backcross generation. As a result, we have obtained a wide array of eggplant materials with wild introgressions. First studies with these materials have allowed the detection of tolerance to drought and identification of multiple QTLs and genes for traits of interest. These materials can make a substantial contribution to broadening the genetic base of eggplant and to develop new cultivars better adapted to climate change.