Utilising Evogene’s proprietary tools, more than 200,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the wheat genome were identified as part of the companies’ efforts to improve wheat through the application of advanced breeding techniques.
SNPs are single-nucleotide substitutions of one base in the genome and a powerful type of molecular marker for trait improvement. Identifying SNPs across the wheat genome is a step towards improving desired traits in wheat through advanced breeding.
The identification of a significant number of SNP markers improves the overall understanding of the wheat genome and therefore facilitates the utilisation of this knowledge to deliver desirable improvements in wheat, Evogene claims.
In December 2010, Bayer CropScience and Evogene entered into a five-year collaboration, aimed at accelerating the development and introduction of improved wheat varieties. The collaboration is focusing on improving wheat yield, drought tolerance and fertiliser use efficiency utilising a combination of advanced breeding and state of the art genetic modification methods.
The successful creation of the genome-wide SNP dataset for wheat was enabled by the use of Evogene’s proprietary assembly tools and algorithms for highly reliable SNP identification, designed specifically for the wheat genome. The dataset was obtained from a broad collection of wheat lines from multiple locations world-wide.
This dataset is being integrated into Evogene’s EvoBreed technology platform to broaden and accelerate the implementation of advanced breeding approaches for wheat.
Mathias Kremer, head of the BioScience business group of Bayer CropScience, said: “We want to improve wheat to tackle issues like climate change and the decline of mineral resources used for fertiliser. This research milestone is an important step towards that goal, and will enable Bayer CropScience to deliver improved wheat varieties to growers sooner.”
Ofer Haviv, Evogene’s president and CEO, said: “We are very proud of this technological breakthrough, which we achieved in a relatively short period. The identification of the SNPs is a key to enhancing native traits utilising genomics-guided, efficient and precise breeding tools.”
Source: Evogene
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024