Formulating Marker-Assisted Selection Strategies Using Computer Simulation

Abstract

With the rapid development of molecular technology and statistical tools for QTL mapping and association mapping, countless marker-trait associations are established in many crops for many key agronomic traits. The development of highly efficient genotyping systems significantly reduces the cost of genotyping. With that marker-assisted selection will become more and more accessible to plant breeders. The challenge faced by breeders is how to best use the rapidly accumulating genotypic information to breed better varieties faster. Computer simulation, which models the process of plant breeding within the context of defined gene-environment systems, has been used to assist the development of more efficient breeding strategies. In this chapter, the requirements for designing a marker-assisted selection strategy using computer simulation were discussed. Examples including parental selection using known-gene information, foreground and background selection in advanced backcrossing and gene pyramiding were used to demonstrate how an efficient MAS strategy can be designed.