Syllabus

BTB 309 Molecular Breeding of Horticultural Crops and Forest Trees (2+1)

Theory

Unit I

Reproductive biology of major fruit and forest crops – Basic methods of fruit crop improvement – Target traits in major fruit crops – Limitations of fruit crop breeding- Breeding methods of self and cross pollinated vegetable crops – Breeding of commercial flower crops

Unit II

Molecular markers for germplasm characterization and genetic diversity analysis, Pseudo test cross mapping strategy in fruit crops- Molecular mapping in vegetable crops-– Micropropagation for variety dissemination – Mutation breeding and characterization of mutants – Genomic resources for marker development – Transgenic approaches with tree crops and utility

Unit III

SNPs genotyping methodologies – Sequencing genome for SNP identification – NGS platforms used for the SNPs marker development – SNP analysis for major gene discovery –Recent trends in genotyping methods

Unit IV

Marker assisted breeding in horticultural crops and forest plants– Foreground and background selection transgenic breeding – MAS for specific traits with examples – Commercial applications of MAS

Practicals

Modifications in DNA extraction methods for horticultural and forest crops – Agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA quantification – Map maker – Diversity analysis using UPMA – Identifying repeat sequences using MISA – Standard Gen cloning methods including construct making with the use of Restriction enzymes – DNA ligases and standard molecular approaches.

Theory schedule

1. Reproductive biology of major fruit crops

2. Reproductive biology of major forest crops

3. Basic methods of fruit crop improvement

4. Target traits in major fruit crops

5. Limitations of fruit crop breeding

6. Breeding methods of self-pollinated vegetable crops

7. Breeding methods of cross pollinated vegetable crops

8. Breeding of commercial flower crops

9. Molecular markers for germplasm characterization

10. Molecular markers for genetic diversity analysis

11. Pseudo test cross mapping strategy in fruit crops

12. Molecular mapping in vegetable crops

13. Molecular mapping in vegetable crops–case studies

14. Micropropagation for variety dissemination

15. Mutation breeding in fruit and forest crops

16. Mutant Characterization in fruit and forest crops

17. Mid Semester Examination

18. Genomic resources for marker development

19. Marker development in fruit and forest crops with examples

20. Transgenic approaches with tree crops and utility

21. SNP marker discovery, methods and tools

22. Whole genome SNP data analysis – various software’s and their application in diversity and mapping studies

23. SNPs genotyping methodologies – Sequencing genome for SNP identification

24. NGS platforms used for the SNPs marker development

25. Recent trends in SNP genotyping methods

26. Marker assisted breeding in horticultural crops

27. Marker assisted breeding in forest plants

28. Foreground selection

29. Background selection

30. Transgenic breeding

31. Application of molecular markers in Marker Assisted Breeding (MAB) -Case studies.

32. Application of molecular markers in Marker Assisted Breeding (MAB) -Case studies.

33. MAS for specific traits with examples

34. Commercial applications of MAS

Practical schedule

1. DNA extraction methods for horticultural crops

2. DNA extraction methods for forest crops

3. Agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA quantification

4. Diversity analysis using UPMA

5. Construction of linkage map using map maker software

6. Identifying repeat sequences using MISA

7. Primer designing

8. SNP marker data generation

9. SNP data analysis using softwares

10. Whole genome SNP array data analysis

11. Isolation of Plasmid DNA

12. Restriction digestion of Plasmid DNA

13. Preparation of Competent cells

14. DNA ligation and Cloning

15. Bacterial transformation

16. Molecular approaches to confirm the recombinants

17. Final Practical Examination

References

1. Kumar N.2006. Breeding of Horticultural crops: Principles and Practices. New India Publishing Agency.

2. Schnell RJ &Priyadarshan PM. 2012. Genomics of Tree Crops. Springer.

e-resources

1. www. tigr.org

2. www.mcclintock.generationcp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=117

3. www. nias.go.jp