MAS.PES, is an apricot and peach breeding program, based in the south-eastern Po Valley (Italy), with the support of both public (Universities, UE projects) and private funds, including growers organizations.
The program is aimed at the introduction of new cultivars adapted to the climatic conditions of the region and addressing disease resistance and outstanding fruit quality traits. Other than traditional breeding procedure, tools for marker-assisted selection are being developed taking advantage of the peach genome sequence and innovative marker platforms, even if marker identification has not been completed so far.