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Title: The influence of large scale genomics and the changing role of ex situ collections

Author
item Richards, Christopher

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/27/2008
Publication Date: 7/28/2008
Citation: Richards, C.M. 2008. The influence of large scale genomics and the changing role of ex situ collections. Annual meeting for the American Botanical Society, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. July 27, 2008. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: The development of large scale genomics resources in non-model organisms promises to have a fundamental impact on the utilization of genetic resources. Technical innovation in high through-put sequencing has reduced the cost to a point where genome-wide SNP development is feasible across a range of taxa including wild relatives of domesticated cultivars. While the focus of these efforts are clearly on gene discovery and assessment of candidate loci for crop improvement, methods and markers developed here will be important in genebank management. Large scale surveys of wider genetic variation with significantly more biological complexity that model organisms will present a number of technical and analytical challenges. Increasingly, the technical work of crop improvement programs making use of genetic resources draws on the disciplines of phylogeography, molecular evolution and ecological genetics. I will describe how development of novel analytical approaches for population genomics will in turn influence the way we collect, and monitor and database the diversity in large ex situ collections and I will present ideas on the future roles genebanks may play as both providers of viable germplasm and associated data.

Technical Abstract: The development of large scale genomics resources in non-model organisms promises to have a fundamental impact on the utilization of genetic resources. Technical innovation in high through-put sequencing has reduced the cost to a point where genome-wide SNP development is feasible across a range of taxa including wild relatives of domesticated cultivars. While the focus of these efforts are clearly on gene discovery and assessment of candidate loci for crop improvement, methods and markers developed here will be important in genebank management. Large scale surveys of wider genetic variation with significantly more biological complexity that model organisms will present a number of technical and analytical challenges. Increasingly, the technical work of crop improvement programs making use of genetic resources draws on the disciplines of phylogeography, molecular evolution and ecological genetics. I will describe how development of novel analytical approaches for population genomics will in turn influence the way we collect, and monitor and database the diversity in large ex situ collections and I will present ideas on the future roles genebanks may play as both providers of viable germplasm and associated data.