Building bridges to success- Accessing Brassica diploid variation for Canola improvement

The Challenge

Genetic diversity is key in the future success of plant breeding. Hybridization of canola has limited genetic variation, which has been further reduced from selection pressure to develop canola quality characteristics and other beneficial agronomic traits.

The Project

Develop a diploid bridging germplasm that is generated by successive backcrossing and marker-assisted selection, followed by the generation of new fertile synthetic canola using these diploids as parents. Additional experiments will be conducted to reduce the strength of the genetic block that significantly impedes interspecific crossing efficiency for more direct access to diploid genetic diversity.

The Results

This section will be updated upon completion of the project.

Grower Benefits

The results from this research could provide breeding with a new technology, allowing the transfer of valuable diploid Brassica alleles that provide blackleg resistance to canola. This would give growers stronger blackleg control.