BreedingTools and Methodologies

MPB’s research efforts on “Breeding Tools and Methodologies" are based on three key pillars: new genomic techniques (NGTs), genomic selection strategies and hybrid breeding systems.

NGTs such as cisgenesis and genome editing enable us to improve crop varieties by inducing targeted changes in the genome. On the one hand, cisgenesis enables the transfer of genes from closely related species or within the same species into the desired crop plant. Thereby, desirable traits such as disease resistance from naturally compatible sources get introduced into existing high-quality varieties. Through cisgenesis, variety improvement in apple and grapes can be speeded up. Furthermore, it achieves results which would be difficult or time-consuming to obtain through traditional breeding methods. On the other hand, genome editing takes advantage of molecular tools like CRISPR/Cas to make targeted modifications to the DNA of plants. This technology offers unprecedented control over the genome of crops and makes it possible to introduce specific genetic changes with remarkable precision. As a result, genome editing allows gene function investigation and development of novel varieties with improved traits. Our research on NTGs aims to identify genes of interest and establish reliable and robust protocols for advancing the applicability to apple and grapes. In this way, we contribute to the development of robust crops for a more sustainable agricultural production.

Genomic selection, a powerful tool in plant breeding, has revolutionized the way plant breeders select and develop improved crop varieties. It is a method that utilises genomic information to predict the breeding value of individual plants, allowing breeders to make informed decisions early in the breeding process. It can be used to accelerate the breeding process and to increase the selection intensity, thereby improving the genetic gain. With our work, we contribute to the implementation of more effective genomic selection strategies in wheat, apple and forage crop breeding programs.

Hybrid breeding is the foundation of seed production in many major crops such as rice, maize, rapeseed and rye as well as most vegetables. Efforts to establish hybrid breeding systems in wheat, barley and forage crops are ongoing. In grasslands, for example, many of the most important forage grass and legume species are characterized by an effective self-incompatibility system that promotes cross pollination. Such allogamous species are usually improved as populations and synthetic varieties, only partially exploiting the genetically available heterosis. The implementation of practical and economic hybrid seed production systems is still a major bottleneck in those species. Therefore, we are developing innovative research approaches to identify, characterize and utilize biological mechanisms in forage grasses to control pollination, which can – among a broad range of other applications – be exploited in hybrid breeding schemes.

Among our main interest regarding these genetic mechanisms, we are focusing on:

• self-incompatibility, which prevents self-pollination in many plant species
• self-compatibility, which is a naturally occurring breakdown of self-incompatibility
• cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)
• doubled haploid production, as a tool to produce parental lines