Author
 |
McGrath, Jon |
|
GALEWSKI, PAUL - Michigan State University |
|
Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 11/26/2014 Publication Date: 12/1/2014 Citation: McGrath, J.M., Galewski, P. 2014. New tools and new perspectives in sugar beet breeding. Meeting Abstract. p. 122. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Plant breeding is effective in two arenas, providing crop protection traits such as disease resistance and stress tolerance, and product enhancement such as improving yield or quality. The fundamental units of plant breeding are populations from which to select traits of interest, and phenotypes, which are the traits of interest, such as sugar yield and root rot resistance. Genetic and phenotypic markers, typically DNA or RNA based, are useful because they are conspicuous objects that can be used to distinguish trait characteristics in the absence of direct measurement, and hence serve as a proxy measure for the trait while providing context and clarity for the inheritance and expression of that trait. Typically, markers have been used for inheritance studies and less so for developmental studies, and none in sugar beet. Approaches to examine developmental profiles of early season development have been tested and some approaches, such as clustering algorithms, have shown promise in applying these methods to the process of gene discovery. Perhaps the best genetic markers for inheritance are indeed the genes that influence expression of a trait, and such approaches will allow for more rapid and precise gene discovery, hence genetic marker development for efficient plant improvement. |
