NCGA Hears Update on Genome Mapping (12-4-06)

Although barely one-third of the way through its three-year plan, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is hailing the progress of the maize genome sequence mapping program and the potential to provide the corn community with important genetic information.

In a presentation to NCGA, Sandra Clifton, Assistant Director of the Genome Sequencing Center at Washington University in St. Louis, said the program will help bring desirable traits to market quickly.

Since 1996 NCGA has had a real voice in this project,” said Pam Johnson, chairwoman of NCGA’s Research and Business Development Action Team. “We have to keep on it to make sure this research benefits the grower. It’s important that growers have a voice in how the research is conducted.”

NCGA hopes the program will identify the genes and biological mechanisms in the corn plant that affect such commercial traits as: environmental impact, including fertilizer use; drought tolerance; suitability for ethanol and other coproducts; nutritional quality; and  insect and disease tolerance.

In her presentation to NCGA, Clifton compared the amino acids that form corn DNA to letters of the alphabet. The program’s goal is to identify the “words” made up from the amino acid combinations. Eventually, researchers could link the “words” to traits in corn or other plants, and duplicate desirable DNA sequences in new hybrids.

“As corn growers we’re interested in the end game, and how we can improve the plants in the field,” observed Johnson.

The cultivar used in the mapping program is B-73, an established line with well-known characteristics that has been widely studied by scientists, said Clifton.

Another benefit of the program will be to help reduce the cost of future sequencing programs, Clifton added. That will allow breeders to test new hybrids for desirable traits. “It cost $50 million to develop the first human genome,” she explained. “Now an individual’s genome can be mapped for $100,000, and the goal is to bring the cost down to $1,000 or $2,000. Once the first corn genome is mapped we can expect the same thing to happen.”

Primary funding for the project comes from the National Science Foundation, with additional funding from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture.