Quantitative and Molecular Genetics in Crop Improvement Conditions

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2021) | Viewed by 3615

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Lab of Plant Genetics and Genomics, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba 292-0818, Japan
Interests: molecular genetics; breeding, whole genome sequencing; digital phenotyping
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Quantitative traits (QTs) are often controlled by multiple genes, and several statistic approaches have been developed to identify genetic regions or genes explaining the phenotypic variation of the traits. Assessment of quantitative trait loci (QTL) is one of the most important research fields in molecular genetics, because it contributes both in pure science and agricultural industries, such as crop improvement through molecular breeding. In addition, genomic selection, which predicts genomic estimation breeding values (GEBVs) in QTs, has recently been performed in a wide range of crop improvement strategies to reflect the entire effect of genes in selection. Genotype × environment (G × E) is another important issue in quantitative molecular genetics. The widespread use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has enhanced molecular genetics with larger-scale data. Recent advances in digital phenotyping technologies also contribute in the advancement of and more precious quantitative molecular genetic analysis.

In this Special Issue, we call for papers in the field of quantitative molecular genetics in crop improvement. The followings are examples of topics for this Issue: (1) novel approaches for identification and investigation of QTLs; (2) novel approaches for genomic selection; (3) novel approaches for revealing G × E interaction in quantitative genetics; (4) application of digital phenotyping or large-scale data analysis system for molecular genetics; and (5) reviewing recent studies in quantitative molecular genetics. Comprehensive discussions are rather welcome, more so than reports of identification of specific QTLs or prediction of GEBVs.

Dr. Sachiko Isobe
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Quantitative traits
  • Molecular genetics
  • Crop improvement
  • Genomic selection
  • G × E interaction
  • Digital phenotyping
  • Large-scale data analysis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 292 KiB  
Article
An Evaluation of Kernel Zinc in Hybrids of Elite Quality Protein Maize (QPM) and Non-QPM Inbred Lines Adapted to the Tropics Based on a Mating Design
by Edna K. Mageto, Michael Lee, Thanda Dhliwayo, Natalia Palacios-Rojas, Félix San Vicente, Juan Burgueño and Arnel R. Hallauer
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050695 - 13 May 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2911
Abstract
Genetic improvement of maize with elevated levels of zinc (Zn) can reduce Zn deficiency among populations who rely on maize as a staple. Inbred lines of quality protein maize (QPM) and non-QPM with elevated Zn levels in the kernel have been identified. However, [...] Read more.
Genetic improvement of maize with elevated levels of zinc (Zn) can reduce Zn deficiency among populations who rely on maize as a staple. Inbred lines of quality protein maize (QPM) and non-QPM with elevated Zn levels in the kernel have been identified. However, information about the optimal strategy to utilize the germplasm in breeding for high-Zn concentration is lacking. As a preliminary step, this study was conducted to ascertain the potential of QPM, non-QPM, or a combination of QPM and non-QPM hybrids for attaining desirable Zn concentration. Twenty elite inbreds, 10 QPM and 10 non-QPM, were crossed according to a modified mating design to generate hybrids, which were evaluated in four environments in Mexico during 2015 and 2016 in order to evaluate their merits as parents of hybrids. The highest mean values of Zn were observed when high-Zn QPM lines were crossed with high-Zn non-QPM lines. Hybrids with high Zn and grain yield were identified. General combining ability (GCA) effects for Zn concentration were more preponderant than specific combining ability (SCA) effects, suggesting the importance of additive gene action for the inheritance of Zn. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative and Molecular Genetics in Crop Improvement Conditions)
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