PBG 519 – SP2013
Lauren Magalska
Ryan Graebner
Jason Lattier
Hazelnut Breeding Program Profile
1. Description of the plant(s)
a. Hazelnuts are wind-pollinated, monoecious, dichogamous trees with sporophytic
incompatibility.
b. Economic importance to Oregon, the nation, the world
i. Oregon is the center of hazelnut production in the United States. Oregon
represents 99% of the of hazelnut production in the US, and 3-5% of the
worldwide. Currently, the industry is has a net income of $44 million/year and
covers 28,400 acres with about 3,000 new acres being planted each year.
ii. The United States produces about 7% of the world’s hazelnuts.
iii. Approximately 850,000 metric tons are produced annually throughout
the world.
2. Rationale and program goals
a. Why breed this plant at OSU?
i. While OSU has released varieties resistant to Eastern filbert blight (EFB), new
strains could be introduced from the eastern United States, and could
potentially overcome resistance genes in the current varieties.
ii. In Oregon, due to differences in markets and a focus on mechanized harvesting,
growers need varieties that produce larger hazelnuts, that more easily fall from
the tree. These traits must also be considered in making new crosses.
b. Summary of short, medium, long-term goals
i. Obtain new sources of resistance to EFB.
ii. Introduce new cultivars that are adapted to Oregon's climate and harvesting
techniques.
3. Current Research Projects
a. Focus - To develop new cultivars for Oregon’s hazelnut industry by improving
quality traits for the kernel market and improving resistance to eastern filbert
blight
b. Breeding method(s)
i. Typically seedling flowers after 5 years
ii. 8 year seed to seed cycle
iii. Marker-assisted selection methods using robust DNA markers linked to
the dominant resistance allele from 'Gasaway’
iv. Utilize new germplasm from hazelnuts collected around the world and
evaluate novel hybrids
v. Evaluate interspecific hybrids of Corylus americana × Corylus avellana for
adaptation to eastern North America
c. Sponsors
i. Oregon State University Agricultural Research Foundation
ii. Oregon Hazelnut Commission
iii. State of Oregon
iv. Hatch Act
v. USDA Specialty Crops Research Initiative
d. Collaborators
i. Washington State University
ii. Rutgers University
iii. University of Nebraska at Lincoln
iv. University of Missouri
v. National Arbor Day Foundation
vi. Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
vii. USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository
4. Graduate student training
a. PI statement of expectations for grad students
i. Students must demonstrate a passion for plant breeding and show
interest in all aspects of plant breeding (i.e. field, lab and green house
work)
ii. Meet department admission requirements
iii. Quantitative GRE score ~70% or above
iv. Work part time on own research and part time on other project
v. Learn the whole program and participate in every aspect of work
vi. Inherit previous work, make a contribution, and pass along to next grad
student
b. Current grad student projects
i. - Develop, characterize and map simple sequence repeat
(ssr) loci using 'Jefferson' repeats as the reference alligning with Illumina
genome sequences (paired end) from the other seven accessions.
- Study new sources of EFB resistance in
hazelnut accessions - Seven Moscow Selection, Uebov, and 'Yodder#5'.
c. Past grad student projects
i. DNA markers and characterization of novel sources of eastern filbert
blight resistance in European hazelnut (2013)
ii. Eastern filbert blight in hazelnut (Corylus avellana): identification of
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new resistance sources and high resolution genetic and physical
mapping of a resistance gene (2011)
Simple sequence repeat marker development and use in European
hazelnut (2009)
Characterization of European hazelnut (Corylus avellana) cultivars
using SSR markers (2005)
New sources and linked AFLP markers for eastern filbert blight
resistance in hazelnut (2003)
Investigation of novel sources of genetic resistance to eastern filbert
blight (1999)
Genetic relationships among hazelnut Corylus species (1999)
Estimation of genetic-parameters in the Oregon State University
Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) breeding population (1999)
Identification and development of PCR-based markers linked to
eastern filbert blight resistance in hazelnut (1998)
Genetic resistance to eastern filbert blight (1995)
The evaluation of cold hardiness in Corylus (1994)
Isozyme variation and inheritance in hazelnut (1993)