- Secured the △ whole genome, △ phenotype, and compositional information from 100 key resources selected from 2,300 radish genetic resources worldwide

- Built a foundation for developing precision breeding and high-quality molecular markers for new variety development

- Featured on the cover of the January-February 2024 issue of the authoritative international journal "Crop Science"

* Photo Description: Professor Yu Hee-ju (right) and her research team from the Department of Biomedical Life Sciences at the Catholic University of Korea have selected valuable genetic resources worldwide for breeding radishes. They have secured the whole genome, phenotypic, and beneficial component information, thereby broadening the horizons for new variety breeding. Their research achievements were featured on the cover of the international journal "Crop Science" (left).

Professor Yu Hee-ju's research team from the Department of Biomedical Life Sciences at Catholic University of Korea (President Jong-chul Won) has established a foundation for developing new radish varieties, Korea's top seed export. By securing the whole genome, phenotype, and effective component information from a core group of 100 resources selected from over 2,300 global radish genetic resources, the team has paved the way for the precision breeding of radishes.

Radish is an important crop for the domestic seed industry in Korea, as it is the largest single seed export. To enhance competitiveness in the global seed market, there is a need to move beyond traditional crossbreeding methods to precision breeding based on genomic sequence information.

Since 2010, Professor Yu Hee-ju's team has been conducting radish research in collaboration with Professor Mun Jeong-hwan's team from Myongji University. They published the first draft of the radish genome and a detailed genetic map in 2012, decoded the genetic information of the Chosun radish WK10039 in 2016, and announced the standardized genome Rs1.0. In 2022, they greatly improved the completeness of the Rs2.0 standard genome, leading the development of various radish molecular markers for resource analysis.

However, the standard genome sequencing alone had limitations for the precision breeding of various types of radishes, such as Chosun radish, Altari radish, and young radish. In response, Professor Yu Hee-ju's team collected about 2,300 radish genetic resources from gene banks around the world and, based on sequence variation, established the world's first core group consisting of 125 resources. They then selected 100 valuable resources for breeding, secured △ the whole genome sequencing, △ phenotypic of roots, stems, and leaves, as well as △ beneficial components like anthocyanins, glucosinolates, and sugars, thus laying the groundwork for precision breeding.

The whole genome sequencing obtained from this research is expected to be a key platform for genome research aimed at the precision breeding of new radish varieties. The research team also analyzed genetic information about a mutation gene that produces △ abnormal pollen and △ a recovery gene that could neutralize the toxic protein using genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Furthermore, this study has laid the groundwork for research identifying the key determinants of red and non-red skin traits located in a structural variation in the RsMYB1.1 promoter on chromosome 2.

The achievements of Professor Yu Hee-ju's research team were recognized by being featured as the cover article of the January-February 2024 issue of "Crop Science," a prestigious international journal in the fields of △ crop breeding and genetics, △ crop physiology, and △ crop production.

Professor Yu Hee-ju from the Department of Biomedical Life Sciences at Catholic University of Korea noted, "As the climate crisis and societal changes increase the demand for the development of new crop traits, precise and efficient precision breeding using genomic sequence information is becoming increasingly important." She added, "The whole genome, phenotypic, and beneficial component information from 100 resources representing global radish genetic resources will not only serve as a foundation for studying various agricultural traits but also play a crucial role in the development of high-quality molecular markers and other precision breeding efforts." (End of Document)