Author
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McGrath, Jon |
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Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2003 Publication Date: 5/1/2003 Citation: MCGRATH, J.M. GENETIC ANALYSES OF AGRONOMIC TRAITS IN SUGAR BEET. 2002 ANNUAL BEET SUGAR DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION RESEARCH REPORT. 2003. p. 17. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The genetics of agronomic traits in sugar beet are not well defined but a comprehensive understanding of these traits is crucial for effective breeding of improved cultivars in the 21st century. Current breeding approaches have been successful in selecting for improved agronomic performance; however, difficulties stem from the different levels of expression of a trait in changing environments, requiring extensive repetition of field selections to assure a trait has been fixed in a breeding line. We have been constructing sugar beet breeding populations that differ in specific traits in anticipation of using DNA markers to tag the specific regions of the sugar beet genome which contribute to an economically important trait. We are determining the genetic code (i.e. nucleotide sequence) for each of the expressed genes we use as molecular markers. Knowing the possible functions of a gene will allow an initial assessment about its role(s) in expression of agronomic traits. The merging and understanding of gene expression with trait and molecular marker inheritance is a powerful new paradigm that will lead to an understanding of the underlying genetics of agronomic traits in sugarbeet. |
