Genomic Selection Strategies For The Silage Breeding Program

A project entitled “Optimizing The Conversion Of Breeding Programs From Phenotypic To Genomic Selection: A Case Study In Maize Silage Quality” funded by the USDA-NIFA-AFRI Biology of Agricultural Plants Program was recently initiated and represents a collaboration between our program and Dr. Aaron Lorenz’s group at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. The overall objective of this project is to develop methodologies, resources and knowledge to assist in the development of genomic selection programs from currently phenotypic-based selection programs. This will be accomplished by combining conventional breeding and quantitative genetics approaches with new statistical tools and genomic information.