A Maize Translational Research and
Educational Collaborative
A presentation for the GEM program
5 December 2007
Chicago Illinois
Bill Beavis
GF Sprague Professor, ISU
Director, NCGR
Maize R & D Enterprise
(circa 1980)
Basic:
Discovery
Modeling
Prepare
Next Gen
Public
(Academic+ARS)
Geneticists
Applied:
Translational:
QG
Models
Innovative
Methods
Prepare
Next Gen
Develop
Germplasm
Public
(Academic+ARS) Breeders
Develop &
Release Elite
Lines and Hybrids
Commercial Breeders
Public Maize Breeders Provided Leadership in:
• Developing Quantitative and Population Genetic Theory
• Translating Theory to Innovative Breeding Methods
• Releasing Useful Sources of Genetic Diversity
•Preparing the Next Generation of Plant Breeders
Maize R & D Enterprise
(post genomics - 2007)
Basic:
Discovery
Modeling
Prepare
Next Gen
Commercial
XX
-
XX
USDA-ARS
X
-
X
X
XX
x
x
Academic
XX
Applied:
Translational:
QG
Models
Innovative
Breeding
Methods
XX
Prepare
Next Gen
-
x
Develop
Germplasm
Develop &
Release Elite
Lines and Hybrids
-
XXX
X
--
?
--
Accelerated Recovery of
Recurrent (Elite) Parent using MABC
BC1
BC2
BC3
BC6
75.0
99.0
Traditional
Backcross
% Recurrent
Parent
87.7
93.3
MA
Backcross
% Recurrent
Parent
85.5
98.0
Donor
Genome
Recurrent
Genome
100
Cross-over
Region
S. Kumpatla
Dow AgroSciences
htp genotyping
S. Eathington
Monsanto
Case 2: Genetic information and htp genotyping.
Marker Assisted Recurrent Selection:
S. Eathington
Monsanto
Is There a Role for the Academic Maize
Breeder in the R & D Enterprise ?
Basic:
Discovery
Modeling
Prepare
Next Gen
Applied:
Translational:
QG
Models
Innovative
Breeding
Methods
Prepare
Next Gen
Develop
Germplasm
Develop &
Release Elite
Lines and Hybrids
Options:
• Abandon Maize to the commercial sector
• Abandon translational research to ARS and commercial sector
• Redefine our role in translational research and education
Redefine our role in translational
research and education
While there is very little funding for translational research
There is some: USDA-NRI 52.1 Plant Genome (D):
Applied Plant Genomics Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP)
Maize Translational Research and Education Collaborative
(Maize-TREC)
Principle Investigators:
Rex Bernardo
Martin Bohn
Natalia de Leon
Thomas Lubberstedt
Torbert Rocheford
Patrick Schnable
Margaret Smith
Maize-TREC


Reestablish leadership in development of
quantitative genetic models, development of
innovative breeding methods, release of useful
germplasm resources, and educating the next
generation of plant breeders.
Integrated research (40%), educational (40%) and
extension (20%) projects that identify, validate,
and exploit the genetic bases of adaptation in
maize.
Maize-TREC: Specific Objectives



Identify functional alleles
(haplotypes) responsible for
adaptation of maize to
production agricultural
environments.
Assign breeding values to
functional adaptation alleles
(haplotypes) in multiple
environmental and genetic
backgrounds.
Develop and test methods to
rapidly accumulate adaptation
alleles in unadapted populations.



Integrate the use of ‘omics’
based information into plant
breeding methods curricula.
Prepare the next generation
of plant breeders for teambased research.
Diversify the educational base
of plant breeding graduate
students.
Develop a sustainable funding model for
translational research and education
in the plant sciences.
Hypothesis: Maize Adaptation
Traits are Oligogenic

Evidence:

Limited number of adaptation traits
 photoperiod, ear-height, grain quality, prolificacy, anthesis-silking
interval, disease resistance, late season stalk strength

Population Genetic Theory +
 Movement of maize from C.A. to N.A. in ~ 5,000 years.
 Emergence of novel architecture (leaf angle) to high density
planting in 5 cycles of recurrent selection of BSSS.
 Adaptation of Suwan1 and Tuson to photoperiod in 5 & 10
generations of recurrent selection.

QTL and association genetic studies on adaptation traits
If adaptation traits are oligogenic,

What is the best breeding strategy to adapt
landraces to MW production agriculture?

Case 1:
 Absence of genetic information

Case 2:
 Genetic information and htp genotyping

1-2 adaptation alleles per locus, 5-6 loci per
trait, 9-10 traits = 50-100 adaptation genes
=> ~0.1% of the functional genome.
Case 1: In the absence of genetic information.
The GEM Allelic Diversity Breeding Method
Winter 1
ExPVP x Exotic Race
Make F1
Summer 1
ExPVP x (ExPVP x Exotic Race)
Make BC1
Summer 2
ExPVP x (ExPVP x Exotic Race) BC1F1
Self (or Make Double Haploid)
Winter 3
ExPVP x (ExPVP x Exotic Race) BC1F2
Result:
Lose 75% of genetic variability to fix
0.1% of the loci
M. Blanco
USDA-ARS
Marker Assisted Recurrent Selection (C0)
Fix 0.1% of the genome while
maintaining genetic variability in the remaining 99.9%
Chromosome 2
Chromosome 3
Markers
Markers
Markers
Chr 4
Markers
Chr 5
Markers
Chr 6
Chromosome 7
Markers
Markers
Chromosome 8
Chr 9
Chr 10
Markers
Markers
Mks
Lines
Chromosome 1
S. Kumpatla
Dow AgroSciences
Donor
Recurrent Population
Marker Assisted Recurrent Selection (C1)
Fix 0.1% of the genome while
maintaining genetic variability in the remaining 99.9%
Chromosome 1
Chromosome 2 Chromosome 3
Markers
Markers
Chr 4
Markers
Chr 5
Markers
Chr 6
Markers
Chromosome 7
Markers
Chromosome 8
Chr 9
Chr 10
Markers
Markers
Mks
Lines
Markers
S. Kumpatla
Dow AgroSciences
Donor
Recurrent Population
Marker Assisted Recurrent Selection (C2)
Fix 0.1% of the genome while
maintaining genetic variability in the remaining 99.9%
Chr 2
Chr 3
Chr 4
Chr 5
Markers
Markers
Markers
Markers
Markers
Chr 6
Markers
Chr 7
Chr 8
Chr 9
Chr 10
Markers
Markers
Markers
Mks
Lines
Chromosome 1
S. Kumpatla
Dow AgroSciences
Donor
Recurrent Population
If adaptation is oligogenic,


What is the best breeding strategy to adapt
landraces to MW production agriculture…
even with genetic information and htp
genotyping, Is MAB/MAS the most effective
and efficient?
 Evaluate DGt in a Cost/Benefit context
 Simulation modeling
 Operations Research


linear programming
control systems engineering
Maize-TREC: Specific Objectives



Identify functional alleles
(haplotypes) responsible for
adaptation of maize to
production agricultural
environments.
Assign breeding values to
functional adaptation alleles
(haplotypes) in multiple
environmental and genetic
backgrounds.
Develop and test methods to
rapidly accumulate adaptation
alleles in unadapted populations.



Integrate the use of ‘omics’
based information into plant
breeding methods curricula.
Prepare the next generation
of plant breeders for teambased research.
Diversify the educational base
of plant breeding graduate
students.
Develop a sustainable funding model for
translational research and education
in the plant sciences.
Acknowledgements




Principle Investigators:
 Rex Bernardo
 Martin Bohn
 Natalia de Leon
 Thomas Lubberstedt
 Torbert Rocheford
 Patrick Schnable
 Margaret Smith
Pioneer Hi-Bred:
 Mark Cooper
 David Bubeck
 Geoff Graham
 Bill Niebur
Monsanto
 Sam Eathington
 Ted Crosbie
Dow AgroSciences
 Siva Kumpatla
 Sam Reddy




USDA-ARS Ames
 Jode Edwards
 Candy Gardner
 Mike Blanco
 Mark Millard
USDA-ARS Ithaca
 Ed Buckler
USDA-ARS, Raleigh
 Jim Holland
Iowa State University
 Chuck Hurburgh
 Kendall Lamkey
 Uschi Frei
 Lizhi Wang