Ksenija Gasic

Professor of Horticulture, Peach Genetics and Breeding
Peach Genetics and Breeeding
Horticulture Program Team, Plant and Environmental Sciences Department

Office: 306A BRC
Phone: 864-656-3664

Email: kgasic@clemson.edu
Personal Website: https://www.clemson.edu/cafls/gasic/index.html

Educational Background

Ph.D. Fruit Genetics and Breeding
University of Novi Sad, Serbia 1999

M.S. Plant Genetics and Breeding
University of Novi Sad, Serbia 1993

B.S. Fruit growing and Viticulture
University of Novi Sad, Serbia 1989

Courses Taught

Guest lecturer:
PES 4050/6050 Plant Breeding
HORT102 Peach breeding

Profile

Gasic and a national team of scientists are working on genomics, genetics, and breeding of rosaceous crops to develop and apply modern DNA-based tools to deliver new cultivars and rootstocks with superior product quality and disease resistance. Project Director Gasic and project co-Director Chris Saski, Clemson University, lead a new USDA-NIFA-SCRI project on development of short and long term solutions for Armillaria Root Rot replant issues stone fruit industry in the U.S. faces. Group of 18 scientists from 6 U.S. institutions, in collaboration with stone fruit stakeholders were awarded $5M grant for 4 years (2020-2024) to address this problem.

Service: Chair of CAFLS Crop Variety Recommendation and Release Committee, Past-President of the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) and President of the American Pomological Society. Co-Editor of the Fruit and Nut cultivar List, HortScience. Past-Chair of the U.S. Rosaceae Genomics, Genetics and Breeding Executive committee (RosEXEC). Chair of the Prunus CGC and SC representative and Past-Chair of the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee (PBCC),.

Professional organizations: International Society for Horticultural Sciences, American Society for Horticultural Science, American Pomological Society, National Association of Plant Breeders, Eucarpia.

Research Interests

My research focuses on development of high quality, disease resistant peach varieties adapted to environmental conditions of Southeastern U.S. using traditional and molecular breeding techniques; characterization and utilization of the peach genetic diversity in landraces, genbank collections and elite germplasm for germplasm enhancement; marker/QTL discovery for the traits of interest; and development and utilization of genomic technology to improve breeding efficiency. I am also working on development of Prunus rootstocks tolerant/resistant to both peach tree short life (PTSL) and Armillaria spp.

Lab Members

John Mark Lawton, MSci, Research associate, 2019-
Wanfang Fu, PhD, Postdoctoral research associate, 2022-
Alejandro Calle, PhD, Postdoctoral research associate, 2021-
Ufuk Caglar, MSci, 2021-
Jared Weaver, MSci, August 2022-
Yetes Karakoc, PhD, August 2022-

Publications

Calle, A., Saski, C., Wüsch, A., Grimplet, J., and Gasic, K. (2022) Identification of key genes related to dormancy control in Prunus species by meta-analysis of RNAseq data. Plants 11(19):2469 https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192469

Hardner, C.M., Fikere, M., Gasic, K., da Silva Linge, C., Worthington, M., Byrne, D., Rawandoozi, Z., Peace C. (2022) Multi-environment genomic prediction for soluble solids content in peach (Prunus persica). Frontiers in Plant Science 13:960449. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.960449

Atagul, O., Calle, A., Demirel, G., Lawton, J.M., Bridges, W.C., Gasic, K. (2022) Es-timating heat requirement for flowering in peach germplasm. Agronomy 12(5):1002. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051002

Bielenberg, D. and K. Gasic (2022) Peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] varieties differ in apparent base temperature and growing degree hour requirement for floral bud break. Frontiers Plant Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.801606

Fu, W.*, da Silva Linge, C., Lawton, J.M. and K. Gasic (2022). Feasibility of genomic prediction for brown rot (Monilinia sp.) tolerance in peach. Fruit Research 2:2 https://doi.org/10.48130/FruRes-2022-0002

Demirel, G., Calle, A., Atagul, O., Lawton, J.M. and K. Gasic (2022) Enabling DNA Informed Breeding for Chilling Requirement in Peach. Journal of American Pomo-logical Society 76(1):11-20.

Fleming M.B., Miller T., Fu, W., Li Z., Gasic K.‡ and C. Saski‡ (2022) KASP Assays to Identify Resistance to Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap) in Peach (Prunus persica). PLoS ONE 17(2): e0264543. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264543

Rawandoozi Z., Hartmann T., Carpenedo S., Gasic K., da Silva Linge C., Cai, L., Van de Weg E. and Byrne D. (2021) Mapping and characterization QTLs for phenolog-ical traits in seven pedigree-connected peach families. BMC Genomics 22:187 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-021-07483-8

Da Silva Linge, C.*, Cai, L., Fu, W., Clark, J.R., Worthington, M.L., Rawandoozi, Z., D, Byrne and Gasic, K. ‡ (2021) Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Fruit Quality Hotspots in Peach Genome. Frontiers in Plant Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.644799

Fu W.*, da Silva Linge C.*, and K. Gasic‡ (2021) Genome wide Association Study of Brown Rot (Monilinia spp.) Tolerance in Peach. Frontiers in Plant Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.635914

Li Z., Gallardo K., McCracken V.A., Yue C., Gasic K., Reighard R. and J. McFerson (2020) U.S. Southeastern Peach Growers Preferences for Fruit Quality Versus Disease Resistance Traits. HortTechnology 30(5):576-584 doi: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04667-20

Adelberg, J., Naylor-Adelberg, J., Miller S., Gasic, K., Schnabel, G., Bryson, P., Saski, C., Parris, S. and G. Reighard (2020) In vitro Co-culture System for Prunus spp. and Armillaria mellea in Phenolic Foam Rooting Matric. In vitro Cell. Dev. Biol. -Plant •DOI: 10.1007/s11627-020-10136-2.

Iezzoni, A.F., McFerson, J., Luby, J., Gasic, K., Whitaker, V., Bassil, N., Yue, C., Gal-lardo, K., McCraken, V., Coe, M., Hardner, C., Zurn, J.D., Hokanson, S., van de Weg, E., Jung, S., Main, D., da Silva Linge, C., Vanderzande, S., Davis, T.M., Mahoney, L.L., Finn, C. and C. Peace. (2020) RosBREED: bridging the chasm be-tween discovery and application to enable DNA-informed breeding in rosaceous crops. Hortic Res 7, 177 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-020-00398-7

Devkota P.*, Iezzoni A., Gasic K., Reighard G. and R. Hammerschmidt (2020) Evalua-tion of the susceptibility of Prunus rootstock genotypes to Armillaria and Desar-millaria species. Eur J Plant Pathol 158, 177–193 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-020-02065-y

Rawandoozi Z., Hartmann T., Carpenedo S., Gasic K., da Silva Linge C., Van de Weg E. and Byrne D. (2020) Identification and characterization of QTLs for blush, soluble solids concentration (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA) in peach through a multi-family approach. BMC Genomics https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-20345/v1.

Coe M., Evans, K., Gasic K., and D. Main (2020) Plant Breeding Capacity in U.S. Public Institutions. Crop Science https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20227

Vanderzande S., Zheng P., Cai L., Barac G., Gasic K., Main D., Iezzoni A., and C. Peace (2020) The cherry 6+9K SNP array: a cost-effective improvement to the cher-ry 6K SNP array for genetic studies. Sci Rep 10, 7613 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64438-x

Abdelghafar A.*, Okie W., Reighard G. and K. Gasic (2020) Mapping QTLs for phyto-chemical compounds and fruit quality in peach. Mol Breeding 40 (3) 1-18 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-020-01114-y.

Guajardo, V., Solís, S., Almada, R., Saski, C., Gasic, K. and Angeles-Moreno, M. (2020) Genome-wide SNP identification in Prunus rootstocks germplasm collec-tions using Genotyping-by-Sequencing: phylogenetic analysis, distribution of SNPs and prediction of their effect on gene function. Sci Rep 10, 1467 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58271-5

Reagan W.C.*, Gasic K., Robbins M., Cardon G., Drost D. and B. Black (2020) Genet-ic analysis of peaches grown by Native Americans in the North American South-west. Journal of American Pomological Society 74(2):76-83.

Miller S. B.*, Gasic K., Henderson G.W., Rollins P.A., Reighard, G. and G. Schnabel (2020) Above Ground Root Collar Excavation Reduces Tree Mortality Due to Ar-millaria root rot. Plant Disease doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-19-1831-RE.

Thurow L. B.*, Gasic K., Bassols Raseira M., Bonow S. and Marques Castro C. (2020) Genome-wide SNP discovery through genotyping by sequencing, population struc-ture, and linkage disequilibrium in Brazilian peach breeding germplasm. Tree Ge-netics and Genomes 16:10. doi: 10.1007/s11295-019-1406-x.

Aranzana MJ, Decroocq V, Dirlewanger E, Eduardo I, Gao Z, Gasic K, Iezzoni A, Jung S, Peace C, Prieto U, Tao R, Verde I, Abbott A. and Arús P, (2019) Prunus genetics and applications after de novo genome sequencing: achievements and prospects. Horticulture Research 6:58.

Vanderzande S, Howard NP, Cai L, Da Silva Linge C, Bink MCAM, Kruisselbrink JW, Gasic K, Iezzoni A, Van de Weg E and Peace C (2019) High-quality, genome-wide SNP genotypic data for pedigreed germplasm of the diploid outbreeding species apple, peach, and sweet cherry through a common workflow. bioRxiv, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/514281.

Bielenberg D and Gasic K (2019) Controlled temperature treatments with low-cost, off-the-shelf equipment for bud or seed forcing experiments. HortScience 54(4):766-768.

Da Silva Linge C., Antanaviciute L., Abdelghafar A., Arus P., Bassi D., Rossini L. and Gasic K. (2018) High density, multi-population consensus genetic linkage map for peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) - a novel reference genetic linkage map for Prunus. PLoS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0207724.

Jung S, Lee T, Cheng C, Buble K, Zheng P, Yu J, et al. (2018) 15 years of GDR: New data and functionality in the Genome Database for Rosaceae. Nucleic Acid Research: 47(Database issue): D1137–D1145. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky1000.


Fernandez i Marti A, Saski CA, Manganaris GA, Gasic K and Crisosto CH (2018) Genomic Sequencing of Japanese Plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) Mutants Provides a New Model for Rosaceae Fruit Ripening Studies. Front. Plant Sci. 9:21. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00021

Barac G.*, Ognjanov V., Obreht D., Ljubojevic M., Bosnjakovic D., Pejic I. and Gasic K. (2017) Genetic diversity of cherry species for rootstock breeding purposes assessed by SSR markers. Scientia Horticulturae 224:374-383. DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2017.06.060

Sandefur, P., Frett, T. Clark J., Gasic, K. and Peace, C. (2017) A DNA test for routine prediction in breeding of peach blush, Ppe-Rf-SSR. Molecular Breeding 37:11 doi:0.1007/s11032-016-0615-3.

Fresnedo-Ramírez, J., Frett, T.J., Sandefur, P.J., Salgado-Rojas, A., Clark, J.R., Gasic, K., Peace, C.P., Anderson, N., Hartmann, T.P., Byrne, D.H., Bink, M.C.A.M, Van de Weg, E., Crisosto, C.H. and Gradziel, T.M. (2016) QTL mapping and breeding value estimation through pedigree-based analysis of fruit size and weight in four diverse peach breeding programs. Tree Genetics and Genomes http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11295-016-0985-z.

Bielenberg, D., Raugh, B., Reighard, G., Fan, S., Wells, C., Gasic, K. and Okie, W. (2015) Genotyping by sequencing for SNP-based linkage map construction and QTL analysis of chilling requirement and bloom date in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. PLoS ONE 10(10):e0139406.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0139406.

Glenn, M.D. and Gasic, K. (2015) Influence of within year treatments and between year environmental differences on peach leaf ash and carbon isotopic discrimination responses. Scientia Hort. 193:258-260.

Guajardo, V., Solís, S., Sagredo, B., Gainza, F., Muñoz, C., Gasic, K. and Hinrichsen, P. (2015) Construction of high density sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) linkage maps using microsatellite markers and SNPs detected by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). PLoS ONE 10(5): e0127750. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0127750.

Fresnedo-Ramírez. J., Bink, M.C.A.M., van de Weg, E., Famula, T.R., Crisosto, C.H., Frett, T.J., Gasic, K., Peace, C.P. and Gradziel, T.M. (2015) QTL mapping of pomological traits in peach and related species breeding germplasm. Molecular Breeding 35:166 DOI 10.1007/s11032-015-0357-7.

Gasic, K., Reighard, G., Windham, J. and Ognjanov, M. (2015) Relationship between fruit maturity at harvest and fruit quality in peach. Acta Horticulturae 1084:643-348

Gasic, K., Reighard, G.L.R, Okie, W.R., Clark, J., Gradziel, T., Byrne, D., Peace, C., Stegmeir, T., Rosyara, U. and Iezzoni, A. (2015) Bacterial spot resistance in peach: Functional allele distribution in breeding germplasm. Acta Horticulturae 1084:69-74.

Yue, C., Gallardo, K., Luby, J., Rhin, A., McFerson, J., McCracken, V., Gradziel, T., Gasic, K., Reighard, G., Clark, J. and Iezzoni, A. (2014) An evaluation of U.S. peach producers' trait prioritization: Evidence from audience surveys. HortScience, 49(10):1309-1314.

Brown, A.F., Yousef, G., Guzman, I., Chebrolu, K., Perkins, P., Parker, M. and Gasic, K. (2014) Variation of Carotenoids and Polyphenolics in Peach (Prunus persica L.) and Implications on Breeding for Modified Phytochemical Profiles. JASHS 139:676:686.

Fret, T.J., Reighard, G.L.R, Okie, W.R. and Gasic K. (2014) Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Blush in Peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. Tree Genetics and Genomes 10:367-381

Barac, G., Ognjanov, V., Obreht D., Ljubojevic M., Bosnjakovic D., Pejic I. and Gasic, K. (2014) Genotypic and phenotypic diversity of cherry species collected in Serbia. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 32:92-108.

Yang, N., Reighard, G., Ritchie, D., Okie, W. and Gasic, K. (2013) Mapping quantitative trait loci associated with resistance to bacterial spot (Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni) in peach. Tree Genetics and Genomes 9:573-586 (DOI 10.1007/s11295-012-0580-x).

Frett, T.J., Gasic K., Byrne, D., Clark, J., Crisosto, C. and Gradziel, T. (2012) Standardized phenotyping for peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. Journal of the American Pomological Society 66(4): 214-219.

Verde, I., Bassil, N., Scalabrin, S., Gilmore, B., Lawley, C.T., Gasic, K., Micheletti, D., Rosyara, U.R., Cattonaro, F., Vendramin, E., Main, D., Aramini, V., Blas, A.L., Mockler, T.C., Bryant, D.W., Wilhelm, L., Troggio, M., Sosinski, B., Aranzana, M.J., Arús, P., Iezzoni, A., Morgante, M. and Peace, C. (2012) Development and evaluation of a 9K SNP array for peach by internationally coordinated SNP detection and validation in breeding germplasm. PLoS One 7(4): e35668. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0035668.

Vimolmangkang, S., Gasic, K., Sori-Guerra, R.E., Rosales-Mendoza, S., Moreno-Fierros, L. and Korban, S.S. (2011) Expression of the nucleocapsid protein of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) in soybean seed yields an immunogenic antigenic protein. Planta DOI: 10.1007/s00425-011-1523-8.

Sori-Guerra, R.E., Rosales-Mendoza, S., Gasic, K., Band, M., Wisniewski, M.E. and Korban S.S. (2011) Gene expression is highly regulated in early developing fruit of apple. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter DOI 10.1007/s11105-011-0300-y.

Gasic, K., Gonzales, D.O., Thimmapuram, J., Malnoy, M., Gong, G., Han, Y., Vodkin, L.O., Liu, L., Aldwinckle, H.S., Carroll, N., Orvis, K., Goldsbrough, P., Clifton, S., Pape, D., Fulton, L., Martin, J., Theising, B., Wisnieweski ME., Fazio G., Feltus FA., and Korban, S.S. (2009) Comparative genomics analysis and functional annotation of a large expressed sequence tag collection of apple. Plant Genome 2:23-28.

Gasic, K., Han, Y., Kertbundit, S., Shulaev, V., Iezzoni, A.F., Stover, E.W., Bell, R.L., Wisniewski, M.E., and Korban S.S. (2009) EST-SSR transferability among Rosaceae species. Molecular Breeding 23:397-411.

Han, Y., Chagné, D., Gasic, K., Rikkerink, E.H.A., Beever, J.E., Gardiner, S.E. and Korban, S.S. (2009) BAC-end sequence-based SNPs and bin mapping for rapid integration of physical and genetic maps in apple. Genomics 93:282-288.

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