Location: Plant Introduction Research
Project Number: 5030-21000-074-001-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2022
End Date: Jul 31, 2025
Objective:
Utilizing available germplasm and genomic data, determine the landscape of sampled exotic material used in the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Project. Highlight areas that (1) have been sampled and produced high performing lines, (2) have been sampled but failed to produce high performing lines, and (3) have not been sampled. Using this information, characterize lines donated by a Collaborator.
Approach:
The GEM Project traditionally introgressed exotic germplasm through crossing with temperate germplasm. To date, 325 lines have been adapted and released based on yield performance and general agronomics. Recently, GEM received a donation of
~1900 adapted lines from a Collaborator. Prioritizing the incorporation of these lines into the GEM pre-breeding program is essential to maximize the level of diversity available to the U.S. corn breeders. Determining the landscape of corn diversity and highlighting the areas that GEM has sampled from, the landscape regions that produced successful GEM lines, and those regions needing sampling will allow for a useful approach to prioritizing the incorporation of the donated material. Publicly-available genomic data and genomic data from genotypic GEM material will serve as the backbone in this exploration.
