Molecular Plant Breeding and Genetics

The main goal of the course is to supply the students with knowledge about tools and strategies used in breeding programs, combining quantitative genetics and biotechnology to identify the genomic regions containing genes of interest. The effects of domestication and breeding on the genome of crops will be presented to have a wider overview about the challenges that modern breeding has to face.

After completing this course students will acquire a basic knowledge of the latest molecular breeding approaches. They will become familiar with the technologies available to produce molecular markers and how these are used to construct linkage maps, useful for mapping QTL and plant breeding in general. They will know the pros and cons of alternative strategies available to identify genetic determinants controlling agronomic traits. Students will be able to evaluate the advantages and limitations of different breeding strategies and select the most appropriate one for specific objectives.