Germplasm enhancement for adaptation to climate changes

• Main Author: Marcelo J Carena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazilian Society of Plant Breeding 2011-01-01
• Series: Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology
• Subjects: adaptation; cultivar development; genetic diversity; maize breeding; NDSU EarlyGEM
• Online Access: http://www.sbmp.org.br/cbab/siscbab/uploads/c8eb9792-58d7-39d9.pdf

Billions of dollars and crops are being lost to drying high moisture grain; drought, cold, and salt susceptibility; andto processing poor quality grain. Maize is a model crop for adaptation to climate changes. Breeding for adaptation is best doneunder challenging environmental conditions where strengths and weaknesses are quickly identified and most stable genotypes areselected. The North Dakota State University (NDSU) maize breeding program is strategically located to develop products underextreme weather. It currently exploits northern U.S. environments that allow screening for adaptation traits that are as important asyield. The program focuses on germplasm adaptation and its integration into cultivar development, particularly those carryingunique alleles not present in the B73 and NAM genomes. There is a need for projects that are vital to agricultural research and willmeet present and future demands of superior genotypes tolerant to climate changes in the U.S. and abroad.