Genetic Mapping And Marker Assisted Selection

Genetic mapping and marker assisted selection (MAS) is considered as one of the major tools in genetic improvement of crop plants in this genomics era. This book describes basics in linkage mapping, step-by-step procedure to perform MAS, achievements made so far in different crops, and limitations and prospects of MAS in plant breeding. It summarizes all this in a simple but comprehensive mode using suitable examples so as to explain the concept and its historical developments. To summarize, this book describes technologies for identification of genes of interest through genetic mapping, recaps the major applications of MAS to plant breeding; lists examples in which MAS is being applied to various breeding programs, and emphasizes the various difficulties that limit the application of MAS in plant breeding, providing possible solutions to overcome these difficulties, and finally tries to illustrate the future prospects. This book would be a valuable guide to the under-graduates and post-graduates of agricultural universities and institutes that are interested and/or involved in genetic improvement of crop plants using modern tools. Bibliography listed in this book constitutes two parts: literature cited and further reading. Literature cited contains references cited in the text and further information on the given concept/technique can be obtained from these references. Further reading provides a list of suggested readings for in-depth coverage of the topics.

The first edition of this book, Genetic Mapping and Marker Assisted Selection: Basics, Practice and Benefits, was widely appreciated as the first of its kind on this topic and has been listed as a reference work in several agricultural universities’ curricula. A great deal has happened over the last five years, making it high time to incorporate recent developments in genetic mapping and report on novel strategies in marker assisted selection in crop plants as a second edition. This book addresses a range of topics, including: new marker types and their genotyping methods based on high-throughput technologies, advances in genomics and their role in new marker development, improvements in genetic mapping strategies and software updates, developments in phenomics and their applications in QTL mapping, and how to incorporate these developments and advances in marker assisted selection in crop plants. Similar to the first edition, each technique and method is explained using a step-by-step method, allowing the book to serve as a self-study guide for scholars whose work involves the genetic improvement of crop plants for any trait of interest, particularly for biotic and abiotic stress resistance. In addition, the book offers a valuable guide for undergraduate and graduate students at agricultural universities and institutes that are interested and/or involved in the genetic improvement of crop plants using modern tools. In addition, the bibliography includes a list of suggested works for pursuing further research on the topics covered.

Plant genomics and biotechnology have recently made enormous strides, and hold the potential to benefit agriculture, the environment and various other dimensions of the human endeavor. It is no exaggeration to claim that the twenty-first century belongs to biotechnology. Knowledge generation in this field is growing at a frenetic pace, and keeping abreast of the latest advances and calls on us to double our efforts. Volume II of this two-part series addresses cutting-edge aspects of plant genomics and biotechnology. It includes 37 chapters contributed by over 70 researchers, each of which is an expert in his/her own field of research. Biotechnology has helped to solve many conundrums of plant life that had long remained a mystery to mankind. This volume opens with an exhaustive chapter on the role played by thale cress, Arabidopsis thaliana, which is believed to be the Drosophila of the plant kingdom and an invaluable model plant for understanding basic concepts in plant biology. This is followed by chapters on bioremediation, biofuels and biofertilizers through microalgal manipulation, making it a commercializable prospect; discerning finer details of biotic stress with plant-fungal interactions; and the dynamics of abiotic and biotic stresses, which also figure elsewhere in the book. Breeding crop plants for desirable traits has long been an endeavor of biotechnologists. The significance of molecular markers, marker assisted selection and techniques are covered in a dedicated chapter, as are comprehensive reviews on plant molecular biology, DNA fingerprinting techniques, genomic structure and functional genomics. A chapter dedicated to organellar genomes provides extensive information on this important aspect. Elsewhere in the book, the newly emerging area of epigenetics is presented as seen through the lens of biotechnology, showcasing the pivotal role of DNA methylation in effecting permanent and transient changes to the genome. Exclusive chapters deal with bioinformatics and systems biology. Handy tools for practical applications such as somatic embryogenesis and micropropagation are included to provide frontline information to entrepreneurs, as is a chapter on somaclonal variation. Overcoming barriers to sexual incompatibility has also long been a focus of biotechnology, and is addressed in chapters on wide hybridization and hybrid embryo rescue. Another area of accomplishing triploids through endosperm culture is included as a non-conventional breeding strategy. Secondary metabolite production through tissue cultures, which is of importance to industrial scientists, is also covered. Worldwide exchange of plant genetic material is currently an essential topic, as is conserving natural resources in situ. Chapters on in vitro conservation of extant, threatened and other valuable germplasms, gene banking and related issues are included, along with an extensive account of the biotechnology of spices – the low-volume, high-value crops. Metabolic engineering is another emerging field that provides commercial opportunities. As is well known, there is widespread concern over genetically modified crops among the public. GM crops are covered, as are genetic engineering strategies for combating biotic and abiotic stresses where no other solutions are in sight. RNAi- and micro RNA- based strategies for crop improvement have proved to offer novel alternatives to the existing non-conventional techniques, and detailed information on these aspects is also included. The book’s last five chapters are devoted to presenting the various aspects of environmental, marine, desert and rural biotechnology. The state-of-the-art coverage on a wide range of plant genomics and biotechnology topics will be of great interest to post-graduate students and researchers, including the employees of seed and biotechnology companies, and to instructors in the fields of plant genetics, breeding and biotechnology.

A comprehensive description and assessment of the use of marker-assisted selection for increasing the rate of genetic gain in crops, livestock, forestry and fish, including the related policy, FAO's tradition of dealing with issues of importance to agricultural and economic development in a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral manner.

Marker-assisted plant breeding involves the application of molecular marker techniques and statistical and bioinformatics tools to achieve plant breeding objectives in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner. This book is intended for beginners in the field who have little or no prior exposure to molecular markers and their applications, but who do have a basic knowledge of genetics and plant breeding, and some exposure to molecular biology. An attempt has been made to provide sufficient basic information in an easy-to-follow format, and also to discuss current issues and developments so as to offer comprehensive coverage of the subject matter. The book will also be useful for breeders and research workers, as it offers a broad range of up-to-the-year information, including aspects like the development of different molecular markers and their various applications. In the first chapter, the field of marker-assisted plant breeding is introduced and placed in the proper perspective in relation to plant breeding. The next three chapters describe the various molecular marker systems, while mapping populations and mapping procedures including high-throughput genotyping are discussed in the subsequent five chapters. Four chapters are devoted to various applications of markers, e.g. marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, diversity analysis, finger printing and positional cloning. In closing, the last two chapters provide information on relevant bioinformatics tools and the rapidly evolving field of phenomics.

While the complete sequencing of the genomes of model organisms such as a multitude of bacteria and archaea, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, the fly Drosophila melanogaster, and the mouse and human genomes have received much public attention, the deciphering of plant genomeswas greatly lagging behind. Up to now, only two plant genomes, one of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and one of the crop species rice (Oryza sativa) have been sequenced, though a series of other crop genome sequencing projects are underway. Notwithstanding this public bias towards genomics of animals and humans, it is nevertheless of great importance for basic and applied sciences and industries in such diverse fields as agriculture, breeding in particular, evolutionary genetics, biotechnology, and food science to know the composition of crop plant genomes in detail. It is equally crucial for a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of biodiversity and synteny. The Handbook of Genome Mapping: Genetic and Physical Mapping is the first book on the market to cover these hot topics in considerable detail, and is set apart by its combination of genetic and physical mapping. Throughout, each chapter begins with an easy-to-read introduction, also making the book the first reference designed for non-specialists and newcomers, too. In addition to being an outstanding bench work reference, the book is an excellent textbook for learning and teaching genomics, in particular for courses on genome mapping. It also serves as an up-to-date guide for seasoned researchers involved in the genetic and physical mapping of genomes, especially plant genomes.

Global climate change, reductions in arable land, and food security demands that plant breeding will continue to play an imperative role in feeding 9 billion people sustainably by 2050. In order to face this challenge, modern plant breeding will necessitate the adoption of new technologies and practices to boost production of cultivated plants by capturing or generating more favorable genetic diversity. In crop plants, the majority of agronomically important traits are quantitatively inherited, controlled by multiple genes each with a small effect (quantitative trait loci, QTLs). The most common approach to pre-breeding is to use genetic mapping to identify QTLs for key phenotypic variation followed by introgressing those QTLs into the elite gene pool with marker-assisted selection (MAS), which can enhance the selection criteria of phenotypes comparing to conventional breeding with the selection of genes. As the cost of genotyping continues to decline, the use of genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technologies or whole genome re-sequencing, coupled with the release of the genome sequences of plant species have permitted the development of dense arrays of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering the entire genome, which have in turn paved the way to genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Meanwhile, fine mapping guided by genome sequences of many plant species have facilitated the exploration of functional genes; in addition, pan-genomes constructed from various available resources such as the reference sequence and its variants, raw reads and haplotype reference panels provide a new perspective on QTL locations and potential molecular targets for plant breeding. Similarly, new approaches to marker-trait association analyses such as quantitative trait locus sequencing (QTL-seq) and quantitative trait gene sequencing (QTG-seq) that are based on bulked-segregant analysis (BSA) and whole-genome resequencing will help accelerate QTL fine-mapping and identification of the causal genes. In conclusion, the tools and strategies for MAS in modern plant breeding have been expanding in recent years. By embracing a broad array of conventional and new molecular techniques, modern plant breeding has a bright future in delivering new crop cultivars to keep our food, fiber and biobased economy diverse and safe.