Prospects for genomic selection in forage plant species |
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Authors: | Benjamin J Hayes Noel O I Cogan Luke W Pembleton Michael E Goddard Junping Wang German C Spangenberg John W Forster |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Primary Industries, Biosciences Research Division, AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience, , Bundoora, Vic., 3083 Australia;2. Dairy Futures Cooperative Research Centre, Victorian AgriBiosciences Centre, La Trobe University Research and Development Park, , Bundoora, Vic., 3083 Australia;3. La Trobe University, , Bundoora, Vic., 3086 Australia;4. Faculty of Land and Environment, University of Melbourne, , Parkville, Vic, 3052 Australia;5. Department of Primary Industries, Biosciences Research Division, Hamilton Centre, , Hamilton, Vic., 3300 Australia |
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Abstract: | Genomic selection (GS) is a powerful method for exploitation of DNA sequence polymorphisms in breeding improvement, through the prediction of breeding values based on all markers distributed genome‐wide. Forage grasses and legumes provide important targets for GS implementation, as many key traits are difficult or expensive to assess, and are measured late in the breeding cycle. Generic attributes of forage breeding programmes are described, along with status of genomic resources for a representative species group (ryegrasses). Two schemes for implementing GS in ryegrass breeding are described. The first requires relatively little modification of current schemes, but could lead to significant reductions in operating cost. The second scheme would allow two rounds of selection for key agronomic traits within a time period previously required for a single round, potentially leading to doubling of genetic gain rate, but requires a purpose‐designed reference population. In both schemes, the limited extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD), which is the major challenge for GS implementation in ryegrass breeding, is addressed. The strategies also incorporate recent advances in DNA sequencing technology to minimize costs. |
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Keywords: | single‐nucleotide polymorphism pasture grass legume sequencing breeding programme |
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