USDA Funds Research to Improve Maize Breeding Efficiency
AMES, Iowa - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) has awarded funding to a research project led by Thomas Lübberstedt, Professor and faculty member of the Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding, to improve the efficiency and affordability of maize breeding.
The project focuses on advancing doubled haploid (DH) technology, a powerful breeding tool that allows researchers to develop genetically pure crop lines much faster than traditional methods. While DH technology has revolutionized breeding in crops such as maize, wheat, barley, and canola, a major challenge remains the costly and labor-intensive process of chemically doubling haploid genomes using colchicine.
Lübberstedt and his collaborator Marc Libault, Professor at the University of Missouri, aim to identify the gene responsible for spontaneous haploid genome doubling (SHGD), a naturally occurring phenomenon that can restore fertility in maize haploids without chemical treatment. Successfully harnessing SHGD could eliminate the need for hazardous chemicals, reduce greenhouse and labor costs, and make DH technology more accessible to smaller breeding programs around the world.
The research builds on previous discoveries identifying a major genetic region, known as qshgd1, in the maize inbred line A427 that is associated with high levels of natural haploid fertility. Using cutting-edge single-nucleus RNA sequencing and gene-editing approaches, the team will work to isolate and validate the gene responsible for this trait.
The long-term goal is to dramatically increase the efficiency of maize breeding programs by simplifying DH line development, accelerating the delivery of improved hybrids, and enhancing genetic gains for growers nationally and internationally.
By supporting this research, USDA-NIFA is investing in innovative breeding technologies that can help strengthen crop improvement efforts and advance agricultural productivity for the future.