Advances in Apple Breeding

Apple is one of the world’s most economically important fruit crops, with over 7,000 different varieties grown worldwide. However, apple production faces a combination of environmental and economic challenges which threaten both crop yield and quality. In light of this, a greater emphasis has been placed on optimising existing breeding programmes and developing new varieties with improved resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Advances in apple breeding provides a comprehensive overview of the range of techniques utilised to achieve this, focussing on conventional techniques such as hybrid breeding and modern techniques such as molecular breeding and genetic modification. The book also addresses recent developments in breeding for improved quality attributes of apple, as well as the use of bioinformatic resources to support current and future apple breeding.