MPB_2024v15n6

Molecular Plant Breeding 2024, Vol.15, No.6, 340-350 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 344 Figure 2 Scheme of the procedure used to develop the recombinant inbred lines (RIL) that constitute the multiparent advanced-generation intercross (MAGIC) population derived from intercrossing eight inbred founders (Adopted from Butrón et al., 2019) 6 Genomic Tools and Techniques for Trait Improvement 6.1 Genomic selection and marker-assisted selection (MAS) Genomic selection (GS) and marker-assisted selection (MAS) are pivotal in modern maize breeding programs aimed at improving resistance to ear rot diseases such as Fusarium ear rot (FER) and Gibberella ear rot (GER). GS leverages genome-wide markers to predict the genetic value of breeding candidates, thus accelerating the selection process. MAS, on the other hand, focuses on specific markers linked to desirable traits. For instance, the integration of QTL mapping and GWAS has identified several SNPs and QTLs associated with FER and GER resistance, which can be utilized in MAS to enhance disease resistance in maize (Chen et al., 2016; Guo et al., 2020; Wu et al., 2020; Akohoue and Miedaner, 2022). 6.2 Application of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in identifying resistance loci GWAS has been instrumental in identifying genetic loci associated with resistance to ear rot diseases in maize. By analyzing a large number of SNP markers across diverse maize populations, researchers have pinpointed numerous loci linked to FER and GER resistance. For example, a study identified 45 SNPs and 15 haplotypes significantly associated with FER resistance, which were located within or adjacent to 38 candidate genes (Chen et al., 2016). Another study revealed 69 SNPs associated with GER resistance, providing valuable insights into the genetic basis of this trait (Yuan et al., 2023). These findings underscore the complexity of ear rot resistance, which is governed by multiple genes with minor effects (Yao et al., 2020; Zhang et al., 2023).

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