Genetic analyses of correlated solids, flavor, and health-enhancing traits in onion ( Allium cepa L.)
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O R I GI N A L P A P E R
C. R. Galmarini á I. L. Goldman á M. J. Havey
Genetic analyses of correlated solids, ¯avor, and health-enhancing traits in onion (Allium cepa L.)
Received: 11 October 2000 / Accepted: 4 December 2000 / Published online: 8 March 2001 Ó Springer-Verlag 2001
Abstract Onion possesses organosulfur compounds and carbohydrates that provide unique ¯avor and healthenhancing characteristics. Signi®cant phenotypic correlations have been reported among soluble solids content (SSC), total dry matter, pungency, and onion-induced in vitro antiplatelet activity. A genetic map and segregating F3M families derived from a cross between two inbred populations were used to identify and estimate the effects of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling these traits at 30 and 90 days postharvest. In vitro antiplatelet activities among dierent onion populations were consistent across six human blood donors. Most of the populations showed in vitro antiplatelet activities; however, for some donors, one of the parental lines and two F3M families had pro-aggregatory eects under our experimental conditions. SSC, dry matter, pungency, and in vitro antiplatelet activity showed signi®cant positive phenotypic and genetic correlations. A chromosome region on linkage group E accounted for a signi®cant amount of the phenotypic variation for all of Communicated by R. Hagemann C. R. Galmarini E.E.A. La Consulta INTA, C.C. 8, 5567 La Consulta, Mendoza, Argentina I. L. Goldman Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA M. J. Havey (&) United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA E-mail: mjhavey@facsta.wisc.edu Disclaimer. Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable
these traits. The correlations among these traits may be due to linkage or pleiotropy of genes controlling solids content. Our results indicate that it will be dicult to develop onion populations with lower pungency and high in vitro antiplatelet activity; however, the strong genetic and phenotypic correlations between high in vitro antiplatelet activity and high SSC are bene®cial for the health functionality of onion. Key words Antiplatelet activity á Fructans á Dry matter á Pungency á Functional foods
Introduction A functional food is one that has demonstrable physiological bene®ts beyond nutrition (Farr 1997). For example, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer (Craig 1997; Farr 1997; de Lorgeril et al. 1998; Milner 1998). Consumption of onion and related Alliums, including garlic (A. sativum L.) and leek (A. ampeloprasum L.), is associated with reductions in blood lipids, cholesterol, and platelet activity, contributing
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