Scab caused by Venturia inaequalis (Cke.) Wint. is the most important fungal disease of apple. Fungicide application is a widely practiced method of disease control. The use of chemicals is however, cost intensive, tedious and ecologically unsafe. Development of genetic resistance and breeding of resistant cultivars is most reliable and a safest option. One such source of scab resistance happens to be the variety 'Shireen', released from SKUASTKashmir. However, till date the nature of

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... and its genetic control has not been characterized. The aim of this research was to elucidate the genetic basis of scab resistance in Shireen. The present study helped us to identify two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosome 2 and 8 and six potential CDGs for the polygenic resistance in 'Shireen'. The genomic region corresponding to the mapped QTLs in LG 2 and LG 8 of 'Shireen' was examined for candidate genes possibly related to scab resistance using in silico analysis. The QTLs mapped in the genetic background of Shireen are the novel QTLs and may be transferred to desirable genetic backgrounds and provide opportunities for isolation and cloning of genes apart from their utility in order to achieve durable resistance to scab.