Marker-assisted breeding can be improved by leveraging whole-genome sequencing and genome-wide molecular markers in appropriate germplasm and growing locations [48]. Genome-wide markers will improve the accuracy of breeding value estimates, make breeding cycles more rapid, and make selection based on phenotypes more efficient [49]. Genotypic and phenotypic data used for GWAS could also be used directly for genomic selection, which uses weighted predictors of phenotypic values based on a training data set, unlike GWAS per se. Furthermore, the

resolution of GWAS could be greatly improved, so that small-effect loci can be identified by high-throughput genotyping such as chip technology and genotyping by sequencing as performed in this study. All evidence indicates that the P1 locus did not undergo neutral evolution in temperate maize and was affected by post-domestication Olaparib selection or improvement. The novel information was generated

in this study through chip-based genotyping and resequencing and analytical results have provided further insights into the ways by which maize breeding efforts have affected its genome evolution. This study was supported by the Chinese National “863” Program from the China Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant No. 2012AA10A306-3), the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31171562) to CX, and the Core Research Budget of the Non-profit Governmental Research Institution from the Chinese Government to the Institute of selleckchem Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Grant No. 2012001). Authors’ contributions: Chuanxiao Xie and Xinhai Li conceived and designed the experiments. Jianfeng Weng, Chuanxiao Xie, and Mingshun Li performed the experiments. Chuanxiao Xie, Jianfeng Weng, Cheng Zou, Zhuanfang Hao, and Wen-Xue Li contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools. Chuanxiao Xie, IMP dehydrogenase Yunbi Xu, and Jianfeng Weng wrote the paper. Xinhai Li, Shihuang Zhang, and Yunbi Xu coordinated the research. “
“Marker-assisted selection (MAS) has proven to be an effective

tool in crop improvement. A prerequisite for successful MAS is to identify markers in close proximity to the genetic factors or genes controlling simple qualitative and complex quantitative traits of interest. Two approaches have been developed and applied to mapping genes in numerous plant species [1]: linkage mapping approach, which uses segregating populations derived from two parental lines, and association mapping that exploits biodiversity observed in germplasm collections of landraces, cultivars, and breeding lines [2]. The linkage mapping approach is limited to the variation between the two parents. Also, development of segregating populations may take several years if recombined inbred line populations are used for mapping [3] and [4]. The association mapping approach, which is based on linkage disequilibrium (LD), uses a collection of germplasm with a wide range of phenotypic and genetic variation [1].