Biotechnology in maize breeding

Abstract

Maize is one of the most important economic crops and the best studied and most tractable genetic system among monocots. The development of biotechnology has led to a great increase in our knowledge of maize genetics and understanding of the structure and behaviour of maize genomes. Conventional breeding practices can now be complemented by a number of new and powerful techniques. Some of these often referred to as molecular methods, enable scientists to see the layout of the entire genome of any organism and to select plants with preferred characteristics by "reading" at the molecular level, saving precious time and resources. DNA markers have provided valuable tools in various analyses ranging from phylogenetic analysis to the positional cloning of genes. Application of molecular markers for genetic studies of maize include: assessment of genetic variability and characterization of germ plasm, identification and fingerprinting of genotypes, estimation of genetic distance, detection of monogamic and quantitative trait loci, marker assisted selection, identification of sequence of useful candidate genes, etc. The development of high-density molecular maps which has been facilitated by PCR-based markers, have made the mapping and tagging of almost any trait possible and serve as bases for marker assisted selection. Sequencing of maize genomes would help to elucidate gene function, gene regulation and their expression. Modern biotechnology also includes an array of tools for introducing or deieting a particular gene or genes to produce plants with novel traits. Development of informatics and biotechnology are resulted in bioinformatic as well as in expansion of microarrey technique. Modern biotechnologies could complement and improve the efficiency of traditional selection and breeding techniques to enhance agricultural productivity.

Kukuruz je jedan od ekonomski najznačajnijih useva i model sistem za genetička ispitivanja kod monokotila. Razvoj biotehnologije je omogućio bolje razumevanje strukture i funkcije genoma kukuruza a konvencionalno oplemenjivanje je dopunjeno novim i moćnim tehnikama. Neke od njih omogućavaju naučnicima da sagledaju strukturu celog genoma i odaberu biljke s poželjnim svojstvima na molekularnom nivou, štedeći vreme i resurse. Primena molekularnih markera uključuje ispitivanje genetičke varijabilnosti i karakterizaciju germplazme; identifikaciju gena koji kontrolišu agronomski važne osobine; selekciju pomoću markera. Sekvencioniranje genoma kukuruza pomaže rasvetljavanju funkcije, regulacije i ekspresije gena. Moderna biotehnologija uključuje seriju tehnika koje omogućavaju prenos gena iz drugih organizama ili deaktivaciju postojećih gena i stvaranje genotipova sa novim osobinama. Razvoj informatike i biotehnologije rezultirao je u stvaranju bioinformatike i omogućio je širu primenu mikroarrey tehnike. Moderna biotehnologija može da dopuni i poboljša efikasnost klasičnog oplemenjivanja u cilju stvaranja visokorodnih genotipova kukuruza otpornih na bolesti i stres.