New Publications: Common platform improves collaboration for research on genetic resources

MEXICO CITY (CIMMYT) — A common platform through which data on genetic resources can be disseminated to both crop researchers and breeders can strengthen research communities, according to authors of a soon to be published Crop Science study.

Conservation and exploitation of crop wild relative species is a key component in ensuring food security and improving current agricultural output. By identifying traits that express resistance or tolerance to stresses like pests or drought, breeders can incorporate this genetic material into genetic background stocks, which could help mitigate problems imposed by climate change, land degradation and population pressure. This is particularly important in countries that will be more severely affected by the threat of reduced yields.

The researchers of the study “Germinate 3: Development of a Common Platform to Support the Distribution of Experimental Data on Crop Wild Relatives” used the Germinate platform to build web-based information resources on wild barley and potato collections, along with wheat, maize and their wild relatives in a way that could better meet the demands of researchers by developing new data visualization tools and integration with current software.

While the underlying species differ, the approach taken ensured that tools were compatible across all database instances. The researchers found that Germinate offers a common platform that can improve the exploration and wider use of genetic resources in breeding programs globally.

Read the advanced copy of “Germinate 3: Development of a Common Platform to Support the Distribution of Experimental Data on Crop Wild Relatives” and check out other new publications from CIMMYT scientists below.

• Avoiding lodging in irrigated spring wheat. I. Stem and root structural requirements. 2016. Piñera Chavez, F.J., Berry, P.M., Foulkes, M.J., Jesson, M.A., Reynolds, M.P. In: Field Crops Research. Vol.196, p.325-336.
• Avoiding lodging in irrigated spring wheat. II. Genetic variation ofstem and root structural properties. 2016. Piñera Chavez, F.J., Berry, P.M., Foulkes, M.J., Molero, G., Reynolds, M.P. In: Field Crops Research. vol.196, p.64-74.
• Awns reduce grain number to increase grain size and harvestable yield in irrigated and rainfed spring wheat. 2016. Rebetzke, G.J., Bonnett, D.G., Reynolds, M.P., In: Journal of Experimental Botany. vol. 67, no.9, p.2537-2586.
• Breeding value of primary synthetic wheat genotypes for grain yield. 2016. Jafarzadeh, J., Bonnett, D.G., Jannink, J.L., Akdemir, D., Dreisigacker, S., Sorrells, M.E. In: PLoS One. vol.11, no.9: e0162860.
• Bulked sample analysis in genetics, genomics and crop improvement. 2016. Cheng Zou, Pingxi Wang, Yunbi Xu. In: Plant biotechnology journal. Vol.14, no.10, p.1941-1955.
• Forward genetics by sequencing EMS variation induced inbred lines. 2017. Addo-Quaye, C., Buescher, E., Best, N., Chaikam, V., Baxter, I., Dilkes, B.P. In: G3. vol. 7, no. 2, p. 413-425.
• From stakeholders narratives to modelling plausible future agricultural systems. Integrated assessment of scenarios for Camargue, Southern France. 2017. Delmotte, S., Couderc, V., Mouret, J.C., Lopez-Ridaura, S., Barbier, J.M., Hossard, L. In: European Journal of Agronomy. vol. 82, p. 292-307.
• Genetic analysis and mapping of adult plant resistance loci to leaf rust in durum wheat cultivar Bairds. 2017. Caixia Lan, Basnet, B.R., Singh, R.P., Huerta-Espino, J., Herrera-Foessel, S., Yong Ren Randhawa, M.S., In: Theoretical and Applied Genetics. vol. 130, no. 3, p. 609–619.
• Genetic loci conditioning adult plant resistance to the Ug99 Race group and seedling resistance to races TRTTF and TTTTF of the stem rust pathogen in wheat landrace CItr 15026. 2017. Babiker, E.M., Gordon, T., Bonman, J.M., Shiaoman Chao Rouse, M.N., Yue Jin, Newcomb, M., Wanyera, R., Bhavani, S. In: Plant Disease. vol. 101, no. 3, p. 496-501.
• Genotype by trait biplot analysis to study associations and profiles of Ethiopian white lupin (Lupinus albus) landraces. 2017. Atnaf, M., Kassahun Tesfaye, Kifle Dagne, Dagne Wegary Gissa. In: Australian Journal of Crop Science. vol. 11, No. 1, p. 55-62.