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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #432078
Research Project: MaizeGDB - Database and Computational Resources for Maize Genetics, Genomics, and Breeding Research

Location: Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research

Title: How large-scale genotyping benefits the maize community

Author
item GROVER, CORRINNE - Iowa State University
item HUFFORD, MATTHEW - Iowa State University
item ROSS-IBARRA, JEFFREY - University Of California, Davis
item Woodhouse, Margaret
item Andorf, Carson

Submitted to: Maize Genetics Conference Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/2026
Publication Date: 2/28/2026
Citation: Grover, C., Hufford, M.B., Ross-Ibarra, J., Woodhouse, M.H., Andorf, C.M. 2026. How large-scale genotyping benefits the maize community. Maize Genetics Conference Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Maize is an incredibly versatile species, whose accessions are adapted to a variety of conditions and whose genomes consequently harbor variation useful in modern crop improvement. The maize community research mirrors this versatility, with projects spanning the full breadth of available germplasm. Recently, the Maize Genetics and Genomics Database (MaizeGDB) released SNPversity 2.0, an easy-to-use platform cataloging genomic variation from thousands of diverse maize lines, thereby facilitating variant identification and discovery between specific lines and B73. With SNPversity, users can easily pinpoint variants in their favorite line, compare those to B73 (and other genotyped lines), and explore the putative effects of that variation. Here we present the latest update to SNPversity (v2.1), which includes genotypes for over 2700 accessions and integrates functional predictions from PlantCAD. We provide practical examples demonstrating how SNPversity can accelerate maize research for the community, and provide an overview of the genotyping pipeline that will be annually run to jointly genotype many thousands of maize lines. We invite the community to suggest useful accessions or features for the 2026 SNPversity update (v2.2). By delivering annual releases of remapped genotypes with AI-predicted functional predictions, MaizeGDB accelerates USDA’s priorities to develop higher-performing crops that boost profitability, improve resilience to pests and diseases, and strengthen food quality and nutrition.