Improving Starch‐Related Traits in Potato Crops: Achievements and Future Challenges

• Published in: Die Stärke Vol. 70; no. 9-10
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Sulaiman, Zhou, Xin, Pang, Yuehan, Jin, Liping, Bao, Jinsong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2018
• Subjects: association mapping; biochemical pathways; Bioengineering; Biosynthesis; Breeding; carbohydrate structure; chromosome mapping; Crops; enzymes; Food; gene editing; Gene mapping; Genes; genetic basis; genetically modified organisms; Genome editing; Heredity; inheritance (genetics); linkage mapping; Mapping; people; Plant breeding; Plants (botany); potato starch; Potatoes; staple foods; Starch; starch crops; starch metabolism; starch quality; Starches; tetraploidy; transgenic engineering; Tubers; Vegetables
• DOI: 10.1002/star.201700113
• ISSN: 0038-9056

Potato is one of the most important starch crops in the world and is used as a staple food for more than one billion people worldwide. Starch is the main storage compound in potato tubers and is of considerable value in food and non‐food applications. The starch biosynthesis pathway is the principal biochemical pathway in plants. Potato starch bioengineering can be considered complicated and has been an extensive subject of study over the past three decades. Tetraploid inheritance is the most conspicuous feature linked with potato breeding. Genetic map construction and linkage mapping have contributed greatly to potato breeding, and association studies have further enhanced our knowledge to carry out optimized and comprehensive breeding programes. This review begins with the introduction of the starch structure with respect to functionality, the starch biosynthesis pathway and related genes/enzymes participating in the pathway. Then, the advances that have been made during the past years in the study of genetic basis of starch‐related traits by linkage and association mapping are summarized. Molecular breeding via transgenic engineering of starch biosynthesis‐related genes to modify starch properties is also reviewed. Finally, future challenges and new directions for improving starch quality in potato and the implication of new genome editing tools to produce the next generation starches are proposed. A better understanding of these factors is necessary to conduct molecular breeding programes in potato to improve starch quality. This article provides in‐depth review of the genetic basis of starch‐related traits of potato crops, such as tuber yield, tuber starch content, starch structure and their functionality. The progress that has been made to understand/improve the starch quality via transgenic breeding, and finally future challenges and new directions for improving starch quality of potato crops by molecular breeding are also highlighted.