Agrigenetics, Inc.

Jane H Cramer

Jeanne Romero-Severson

David West

Yu Dong Ma

Michael G Murray

This invention provides means for identifying maize plants having resistance to the European corn borer (ECB). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) marker probes which are genetically linked to loci which condition ECB resistance are provided. These probes are useful in breeding programs to identify ECB resistant gene types and thus allow the resistance traits to be introduced into non-resistant or less resistant corn varieties.

European corn borer resistance genetic markers

A set of nucleic acid probes useful for tracking Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus Resistance (MDMV), a polygenic trait, is provided. Chromosome segments are identified enabling isolation of the genes governing this trait. A general method for identifying probes useful for tracking and introgressing polygenic traits into elite genomes and identifying chromosome segments governing the traits is also provided. This method involves the analysis of RFLP polymorphisms between parent donor and recipient genotypes and observed phenotypic data using multiple regression by leaps and bounds ('leaps'), followed by standard multiple regression applied to the 'leaps' data. The 'leaps' data may be used to identify flanking markers, and epistasis may be determined by analysis of the multiple regression data. Kits comprising a subset of the most useful probes (those most closely linked to the trait of interest) are provided. The kits may also comprise flanking probes. Flanking probes used in combination with the most closely linked probes are useful in identifying situations in which donor DNA tends to move in clumps and recovering rare individuals in which traits of interest have separated from surrounding donor DNA, so that elite recipient DNA may be maximized.

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Madison, WI, United States of America

Jane H Cramer