Enhancing Gene Discovery Capability in Bread Wheat

Advances in sequencing capability and a huge increase in the number of available genetic markers in wheat require strategies to exploit these large datasets and clone genes controlling trait expression. We have been developing a research platform to accurately identify high confidence QTL for traits of interest using genetic resources including a large Multi-parent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) population and a heavy ion mutant population. In conjunction with these genetic resources, we have been implementing a variety of methods utilising next-gen sequencing analytics, resulting in an enhanced capability for efficient causal gene(s) discovery. We will provide an update on our research in developing a high density genetic map to anchor the physical map and the genetic dissection of complex traits.