Seed Biotechnology Center 

August 2005

Breeding with Molecular Markers course: February 8-9, 2006
Mark your calendar for The Seed Biotechnology Center course on Breeding with Molecular Markers. This course will focus on strategies for using molecular tools in different breeding schemes and crops. Leading industry and university experts will guide participants on how, when and what types of molecular markers should be used in breeding programs, including marker-assisted selection, accelerated backcrossing, and quantitative trait loci. It is aimed at professionals who are directly or indirectly involved in plant breeding and germplasm improvement. The course will be held in Davis, California.

A Whole Genome Approach to Marker Discovery in Lettuce
The SBC and Dr. Richard Michelmore (UC Davis) are partnering with an industry consortium to develop microarray-based tools for DNA marker discovery. With these tools approximately 25,000 lettuce genes will be simultaneously screened for diversity in breeding germplasm. The resulting markers will be validated to develop high density maps to identify and manipulate loci linked to important traits in lettuce. This project will directly benefit the lettuce industry by providing new tools (high throughput molecular markers, SNPs) to improve lettuce.

The Marker Discovery project is offering a Postdoctorate Fellowship.  For more information go to: sbc.ucdavis.edu 

Growing the SBC
Efforts to expand the SBC are moving full steam ahead!  The Center has acquired commitments to support a new position that will help to extend programs.  This summer Delta and Pine Land Co., Monsanto/Seminis, Syngenta and several others (to be announced) joined Forage Genetics International and the University of California, Davis, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to help achieve the goal. Support for the SBC is an investment in the future of the seed industry. Growing the Center will provide the resources to allow it to do more research, more education and more outreach to move the seed industry forward in a globally competitive environment.  If you would like more information about the SBC initiative, please contact Sue Webster at scwebster@ucdavis.edu or 530-754-7333.