Transcriptome- and metabolome-based prediction of heterosis and hybrid performance in experimental hybrids of maize
Final Report Abstract
Grouping of germplasm and prediction of hybrid performance and heterosis are important applications in hybrid breeding programs. Gene expression analysis is a promising tool to achieve both tasks efficiently. Our objectives were to (1) investigate distance measures based on transcription profiles, (2) compare these with genetic distances based on AFLP markers, and (3) assess the suitability of transcriptome-based distances for grouping of germplasm and prediction of hybrid performance and heterosis in maize. We analyzed transcription profiles from seedlings of the 21 parental maize lines of a 7 x 14 factorial with a 46-k oligonucleotide array. The hybrid performance and heterosis of the 98 hybrids were assessed in field trials. In cluster and principal coordinate analyses for germplasm grouping, the transcriptome-based distances were as powerful as the genetic distances for separating flint from dent inbreds. Cross validation showed that prediction of hybrid performance with transcriptome-based distances using selected markers was more precise than earlier prediction models using DNA markers or general combining ability estimates using field data. Our results suggest that transcriptome-based prediction of hybrid performance and heterosis has a great potential to improve the efficiency of maize hybrid breeding programs.
Publications
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(2006) Prediction of single-cross hybrid performance for grain yield and grain dry matter content in maize using AFLP markers associated with QTL. Theor Appl Genet 113:1037-1047
Schrag TA, Melchinger AE, Sørensen AP, Frisch M
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(2007) Prediction of single.cross hybrid performance in maize using haplotype blocks associated with QTL for grain yield. Theor Appl Genet 114:1345-1355
Schrag TA, Maurer HP, Melchinger AE, Piepho H-P, Peleman J, Frisch M
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(2009) Molecular marker-based prediction of hybrid performance in maize using unbalanced data from multiple experiments with factorial crosses. Theor Appl Genet 118:741-751
Schrag TA, Möhring J, Maurer HP, Dhillon BS, Melchinger AE, Piepho HP, Sørensen AP, Frisch M
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(2010) Correlation between parental transcriptome and field data for the characterization of heterosis in Zea mays L. Theor Appl Genet 120:401-143
Thiemann A, Fu J, Schrag TA, Melchinger AE, Frisch M, Scholten S
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(2010) Prediction of hybrid performance in maize using molecular markers and joint analyses of hybrids and parental inbreds. Theor Appl Genet 120:451-461
Schrag TA, Möhring J, Kusterer B, Dhillon BS, Melchinger AE, Piepho H-P, Frisch M
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(2010) Transcriptome-based distance measures for grouping of germplasm and prediction of hybrid performance in maize. Theor Appl Genet 120:441-450
Frisch M, Thiemann A, Fu J, Schrag TA, Scholten S, Melchinger AE
