bioRxiv · 2026-04-10
Scientists identified and narrowed down four genetic regions in apple trees that help them resist apple scab, a destructive fungal disease, and found the specific genes likely responsible — opening the door to breeding disease-resistant apples without heavy pesticide use.
Four of five candidate resistance regions (QTLs) were validated in a population of 1,970 apple trees, with one region (qF3) failing to confirm
43 newly developed genetic markers substantially narrowed the location of each resistance region, making them far more useful for breeding programs
Candidate genes identified include receptor-like proteins and RNAi-related genes, suggesting apple trees use multiple, complementary defense strategies against the fungus
