Cost analysis of molecular techniques for marker assisted selection within a barley breeding program

Abstract

Marker assisted selection (MAS) has become a valuable asset to plant breeders as it provides an alternative strategy to introgress valuable alleles into breeding material. As part of its integration into mainstream breeding, finding reliable low cost, high throughput screening techniques is an important aspect of most implementation programs. With recent advancements in molecular marker techniques and the growing availability of commercial genotyping services, there are now a number of options available to breeders for the implementation of MAS. This paper explores the value of three genotyping methods for marker assisted breeding in barley, namely: the traditional approach using conventional PCR and ethidium bromide stained polyacyrlamide gels, a new technology employing multiplex PCR and fluorescent-based marker detection on an automated DNA fragment analyser, and outsourcing to a commercial service provider. A doubled haploid population screened using these methods are compared in relation to the cost, speed, convenience and reliability of each approach.