Molecular Marker Assisted Breeding in a Company Environment

As the world’s population continues to rise, and it becomes increasingly desirable to avoid excessive use of chemical inputs, plant breeding can provide biological solutions to the necessities of food production and help conserve environmental resources. Continued improvements in the genetic basis of agronomic productivity must be achieved. Applied genetic research has been instrumental in progressing varietal performance and breeding efficiency. Productivity has risen as breeders have brought together in single varieties chromosomal regions exerting positive effects on traits that have a favorable impact on agronomic performance in specific and general environments. Russell (1984), Duvick (1987), Anderson et al (1988), and Tollenaar (1989) have shown that newer varieties outperform older varieties even in low input environments. Older varieties more readily exhibit sterility, lodging, and increased damage from pests when confronted with stress conditions (Patch et al, 1941; Russell, 1974; Austin et al, 1980; Duvick, 1984).