MAIZE BREEDING & GENETICS @ THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH, DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AGRICULTURE
Maize Phenomics
Maize genomic efforts are accumulating vast amounts of information on DNA sequence, gene expression and proteins. Similar to the genomics efforts in humans, mice and C. elegans, the long-term goal of the maize genomics effort is to associate phenotype(s) with each piece of molecular data (i.e., phenomics). Maize phenomics efforts are in their infancy and to date consists primarily of uncoordinated QTL mapping efforts that have not been integrated with other genomic technologies. The aims of our research are (1) to develop a set of genetic material and accompanying methodology that will greatly facilitate linking molecular information such as DNA sequence and gene function with agriculturally important phenotypes such as grain yield, and (2) to define genomic regions associated with maize grain yield in terms of the underlying physiological processes.
