| Description |
The project assesses the genetic and phenotypic diversity of a neglected
Ethiopian seed-oil crop, Noug (Guizotia abyssinica; Compositae), in order
to propose ways of managing and conserving its diversity.
Furthermore this diversity will be used to generate tools and genomics
resources for crop improvement through modern breeding efforts.
A brochure about this project is available by clicking on "Noug,
a neglected and underutilized oil-seed crop from the Ethiopian highlands"
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| Describe activities and strategies
used |
The application of modern breeding efforts to already available agricultural
diversity requires
- collection, characterization, and conservation of ecologically and
genetically diverse germplasm,
- initiation or re-orientation of existing breeding and crop deployment
programs to capitalize on this diversity, and
- transfer of knowledge and technology to breeders and farmers in
developing countries.
Molecular markers, phylogeographic methods, and phenotypic analyses are being
employed to link genetic diversity with geographic features and agricultural
practices, to establish areas of high genetic diversity and hence conservation
priorities, to identify accessions with useful agronomic traits, and to test for
associations with candidate domestication genes.
The project will illustrate how limited investments into research on NUS
diversity can facilitate implementation of modern breeding efforts, especially
when conducted in the context of genomic information for related crop species.
Here, molecular marker and association studies will exploit genomic resources
developed for the two most important Compositae crops (i.e., sunflower and
lettuce). This will provide a framework for accelerating Noug improvement and
will establish the utility of genomic information from major crops for
improvement of other NUS in the Compositae family.
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