Maize findings could lead to vigorous new varieties and insights into human genetics
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug09/maizeGenetics.html
Two new large-scale studies by researchers at Cornell and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published in this week's Science (Aug. 7) journal, report major discoveries in maize genetics that could revolutionize maize breeding and may help researchers better predict complex traits in humans.
In a study using more than 1 million maize plants to identify the genes involved in flowering time, the researchers found that the trait is influenced by the combined effects of more than 40 genes. Flowering time influences whether a plant can adapt to new environments and is the main hindrance to exchanging crops internationally.
Two new large-scale studies by researchers at Cornell and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published in this week's Science (Aug. 7) journal, report major discoveries in maize genetics that could revolutionize maize breeding and may help researchers better predict complex traits in humans.
In a study using more than 1 million maize plants to identify the genes involved in flowering time, the researchers found that the trait is influenced by the combined effects of more than 40 genes. Flowering time influences whether a plant can adapt to new environments and is the main hindrance to exchanging crops internationally.