COURSE OVERVIEW:
Molecular Markers 101:
An Introductory Online Course for the Entire Seed Industry
Whether you work in breeding, seed production, operations, quality assurance, admin or even finance, understanding molecular markers can help your role in the seed industry.
Molecular Markers 101 is a beginner-friendly course that introduces the fundamentals of how DNA tools are transforming plant breeding, variety development, and seed purity. No lab experience required—just curiosity and a desire to learn.
What You’ll Learn:
- What molecular markers are and why they matter
- Introduction to reference genomes and marker types (SSRs, SNPs, etc.)
- Trait-specific vs. genome-wide markers
- Basics of DNA sampling, extraction, and genotyping
- How molecular data supports smarter selection in plant breeding
- Interpreting marker data in breeding and production
- Best practices for collaboration between lab, breeding, and operations teams
- Applications of molecular markers in seed production and quality assurance
- How to establish associations between markers and traits
- And more!
Who Should Attend:
This course is ideal for anyone working in or around the seed industry, even for law makers, including:
- Plant breeding technicians and assistants
- Seed production staff
- Seed lab and QA/QC professionals
- Field operations and farm managers
- Sales, commercial, regulatory and finance professionals wanting to better understand molecular breeding
If you’re involved in supporting or delivering new and improved plant varieties, this course is for you.
Ready to Connect the Dots?
Join us and gain the knowledge to confidently engage in marker-assisted breeding programs and seed quality systems.
This course is recommended prerequisite for UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy.
March 10 & 12, 2026
(2 - half-days, Online)
Time: 7:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Pacific time zone (PDT)
Early Registration Price: $790 *
Regular Registration Price: $890
(*Early registration price is valid through February 10, 2026)
INSTRUCTORS:
Rachil Koumproglou, Ph.D.
I am a plant geneticist with 25 years of experience in the development and implementation of molecular markers in plant breeding. I hold a MSc and a PhD in Applied Genetics from the University of Birmingham (UK).
I started my research career in public institutions like JIC (UK) and IRTA (Spain), studying the genetic structure of complex plant traits. For several years, I continued as Genetics and Genomics Project Leader in semillasFITO, a seed company dedicated in vegetable breeding. There, I was blending academic insight with practical breeding applications like marker-assisted selection strategies, genetic diversity analysis and genetic mapping.
Today, I am the founder of AgroSynapsis, a company dedicated to supporting seed companies in implementing molecular breeding programs.
My passion is to transform complex scientific concepts into engaging and accessible narratives for breeders and other seed professionals—a skill I have further developed through a MSc in Scientific Communication from the International University of Valencia, Spain.
Jovan Djordjevic, Ph.D.
Dr. Jovan Djordjevic is a plant breeder and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the global seed industry. His career began in 1996 with Monsanto France as a corn breeder, where he built a strong foundation in hybrid breeding. In 2005, he moved to Canada to lead canola hybrid breeding, playing a key role in transitioning the crop from open-pollinated to hybrid varieties. In 2010, Jovan relocated to California—agriculture’s Silicon Valley—where he served as Global Cucurbits Breeding Director for Nunhems.
Over the course of his prolific career, he has contributed to the release of more than 200 hybrid varieties across crops such as corn, canola, tomato, pepper, sweet corn, watermelon, melon, cucumber, onion, carrot, and leek.
Jovan currently serves as Director of the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy, where he mentors the next generation of breeders and seed professionals. He also chairs the Plant Breeding Committee for the California Seed Association.
He is a seed business owner, co-founder, and board director at Murray River Seed Co, where he remains hands-on in breeding watermelon and melon. He believes that passionate people, working closely with growers, can truly transform the produce industry for the better.
Attention International students: Please note before you register that you may enter your international phone number in the "Course Registration Information" section but in the "Contact information/Billing information" section, phone numbers must be in US format so you can enter: (530) 400-1234. Email jerobinson@ucdavis.edu with any additional questions or issues you may have.
Questions? Contact us at sbc@ucdavis.edu.