Basal stem rot caused by Ganoderma boninense is the major threat to oil palm cultivation in Southeast Asia, which accounts for 80% of palm oil production worldwide, and this disease is increasing in Africa. The use of resistant planting material as part of an integrated pest management of this disease is one sustainable solution. However, breeding for Ganoderma resistance requires long-term and costly research, which could greatly benefit from marker-assisted selection (MAS). In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of an in silico genetic mapping approach that took advantage of extensive data recorded in an ongoing breeding program. A pedigree-based QTL mapping approach applied to more than 10 years’ worth of data collected during pre-nursery tests revealed the quantitative nature of Ganoderma resistance and identified underlying loci segregating in genetic diversity that is directly relevant for the breeding program supporting the study. To assess the consistency of QTL effects between pre-nursery and field environments, information was collected on the disease status of the genitors planted in genealogical gardens and modeled with pre-nursery-based QTL genotypes. In the field, individuals were less likely to be infected with Ganoderma when they carried more favorable alleles at the pre-nursery QTL. Our results pave the way for a MAS of Ganoderma resistant and high yielding planting material, and the provided proof-of-concept of this efficient and cost-effective approach could motivate similar studies based on diverse breeding programs.

由博宁灵芝引起的基部茎腐病是东南亚油棕种植的主要威胁，东南亚占全球棕榈油产量的80%，这种病害在非洲正在增加。使用抗性种植材料作为害虫综合防治的一部分是一种可持续的解决方案。然而，灵芝抗性育种需要长期且昂贵的研究，这可以从标记辅助选择（MAS）中受益匪浅。在这项研究中，我们评估了计算机遗传图谱方法的有效性，该方法利用了正在进行的育种计划中记录的大量数据。基于谱系的 QTL 作图方法应用于育苗前测试期间收集的超过 10 年的数据，揭示了灵芝抗性的数量性质，并确定了遗传多样性中分离的潜在位点，这些位点与支持该研究的育种计划直接相关。为了评估育苗前和田间环境之间 QTL 效应的一致性，收集了家谱花园中种植的祖先的疾病状况信息，并用基于育苗前的 QTL 基因型进行建模。在野外，当个体在育苗前 QTL 上携带更有利的等位基因时，他们感染灵芝的可能性较小。我们的结果为灵芝抗性和高产种植材料的 MAS 铺平了道路，并且所提供的这种高效且具有成本效益的方法的概念验证可以激发基于不同育种计划的类似研究。