Breeding programme for sea-buckthorn

The sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a drought- and salinity-resistant plant that can grow in poor soil conditions. It has recently generated interest as a nutritious berry crop and a way to prevent soil erosion.

Funded by the EU, the HIPPOHEALTH project investigated desirable traits like fruit flavour and resistance to dried-shrink disease (DSD) in plant collections from China and Sweden. Knowledge in this area can support the development of new sea-buckthorn cultivars.

Researchers first analysed the chemical makeup of fruits from different sea-buckthorn cultivars, and linked this to the genetics of each cultivar. Taste testing revealed that consumers strongly preferred sweeter berries, with a specific sugar-to-acid ratio associated with the most popular fruits.

From these tests, HIPPOHEALTH identified several metabolic compounds that served as predictors of tasty berries. Coupled with genetic data, this provided information that can now be used to breed more palatable sea-buckthorn cultivars.

Another aspect of the project has focused on resistance to DSD, a major fungal disease affecting sea-buckthorn. Multiple genetic markers for DSD resistance were identified, which will make screening new cultivars for DSD resistance much easier.

A laboratory-based system was established to grow sea-buckthorn in conjunction with its fungal parasite. This will allow in-depth studies of host–pathogen interactions and assist scientists in combating the DSD fungus.

All of the data generated by HIPPOHEALTH will be incorporated into an evaluation tool that plant breeders can use to rate new cultivars. This will contribute to improved commercial production of sea-buckthorn.