Hřibová E, Doleželová M, Town CD, Macas J, Doležel J (2007). Isolation and characterization of the highly repeated fraction of the banana genome. Cytogenetic and Genome Research 119(3–4):268–274. (DOI: 10.1159/000112073). Not open access: view abstract

Rahman S, Masa-aki Ohto, Seraj S and Blumwald E (2007). Bacteriophage lambda genomic library construction of Oryza sativa L. var. Pokkali. Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology 17(2):149–159. (DOI: 10.3329/ptcb.v17i2.3235).

A major QTL called ‘Saltol’ on rice chromosome 1 has been identified as linked to salinity tolerance traits of the landrace, Pokkali. A genomic library of Pokkali rice variety was constructed in bacteriophage Lamda Fix II with 20 kb inserts. Plaques containing genes implicated to salt tolerance have been identified using probes homologous to S-Ad methionine synthetase (SAM) and cation chloride co-transporter after two rounds of hybridization. Clearly demarcated plaques of the two clones of interest have been lifted out for DNA isolation and subsequent characterization to be followed by subcloning into TAC vectors for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of large genomic fragments into sensitive rice.

Magalhães JV, Liu J, Guimarães CT, Lana UGP, Alves VMC, Wang YH, Schaffert RE, Hoekenga OA, Piñeros MA, Shaff JE, Klein PE, Carneiro NP, Coelho CM, Trick HN and Kochian LV (2007). A gene in the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family confers aluminium tolerance in sorghum. Nature Genetics 39(9):1156–1161 (DOI: 10.1038/ng2074). Not open access: view abstract

Varshney RK, Nayak S, Jayashree B, Eshwar K, Upadhyaya HD and Hoisington DA (2007). Development of cost-effective SNP assays for chickpea genome analysis and breeding. Journal of SAT Agricultural Research 3(1):29–31.

Although microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers have been the preferred markers for plant genetics and breeding, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common class that detect the smallest unit of genetic variation present in genomes (Rafalski 2002). Marker technologies exploiting the potential of SNPs provide the possibility of constructing genetic maps at 100-fold higher marker densities than with other types of DNA polymorphisms (Cho et al. 1999, Sachidanandam et al. 2001). Identification and mapping of SNPs has been initiated recently for crop species like rice (Oryza sativa) (Feltus et al. 2004), maize (Zea mays) (Tenaillon et al. 2001), wheat (Triticum aestivum) (Somers et al. 2003), barley (Hordeum vulgare) (Kota et al. 2001, Rostoks et al. 2005), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) (Miura et al. 2005) and rye (Secale cereale) (Varshney et al. 2007).

Heslop-Harrison JS and Schwarzacher T (2007). Domestication, genomics and the future for banana. Annals of Botany 100(5):1073–1084. (DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcm191).

Jayashree B, Hanspal MS, Srinivasan R, Vigneshwaran R, Varshney RK, Naya S, Eshwar K, Ramesh N, Chandra S and Hoisington DA (2007). An integrated pipeline of open source software adapted for multi-CPU architectures: use in the large-scale identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Comparative and Functional Genomics 2007, Article ID 35604 7 pp7. (DOI: 10.1155/2007/35604).

The large amounts of EST sequence data available from a single species of an organism as well as for several species within a genus provide an easy source of identification of intra- and interspecies single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In the case of model organisms, the data available are numerous, given the degree of redundancy in the deposited EST data. There are several available bioinformatics tools that can be used to mine this data; however, using them requires a certain level of expertise: the tools have to be used sequentially with accompanying format conversion and steps like clustering and assembly of sequences become time-intensive jobs even for moderately sized datasets.

Hafsi M, Akhter J and Monneveux P (2007). Leaf senescence and carbon isotope discrimination in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) under severe drought conditions. Cereal Research Communications 35(1):71–80. (DOI: 10.1556/CRC.35.2007.1.9). Not open access: view abstract

Ribaut J-M and Ragot M (2007). Marker-assisted selection to improve drought adaptation in maize: the backcross approach, perspectives, limitations, and alternatives. Journal of Experimental Botany 58(2):351–360. (DOI: 10.1007/s11032-006-9041-2).

A number of different marker-assisted selection (MAS) approaches do exist for the improvement of polygenic traits. Results of a marker-assisted backcross (MABC) selection experiment aimed at improving grain yield under drought conditions in tropical maize are presented and compared with alternative MAS strategies. The introgression of favourable alleles at five target regions involved in the expression of yield components and flowering traits increased grain yield and reduced the asynchrony between male and female flowering under water-limited conditions.

Varshney RK, Horres R, Molina C, Nayak S, Jungmann R, Swamy P, Winter P, Jayashree B, Kahl G and Hoisington DA (2007). Extending the repertoire of microsatellite markers for genetic linkage mapping and germplasm screening in chickpea. Journal of SAT Agricultural Research 5(1):3pp.

Molecular markers and genetic linkage maps are the prerequisites for undertaking molecular breeding activities. However, the progress towards development of a reasonable number of molecular markers has been very slow in cultivated species of chickpea (Cicer arietinum). One of the main reasons for this may be attributed to the low level of genetic diversity present in the cultivated gene pools of these species, at least with the detection tools that are currently available. Among various molecular markers currently available, microsatellite or SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers are often chosen as the preferred markers for a variety of applications in breeding because of their multi-allelic nature, co-dominant inheritance, relative abundance and extensive genome coverage (Gupta and Varshney 2000).

Xu X, Yuan H, Li SH and Monneveux P (2007). Relationship between carbon isotope discrimination and grain yield in spring wheat under different water regimes and under saline conditions in the Ningxia Province (North-west China). Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 193(6):422–434. (DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-037X.2007.00281.x). Not open access: view abstract