Towards new Brassica crops: genetic improvement of Brassica hexaploids

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Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is a major oil crop in both China and Germany. However, this species is highly inbred, and lacks the environmental tolerances of other major crops such as wheat. In order to broaden the genetic basis for rapeseed production, an innovative long-term breeding solution has been proposed: to bring together different Brassica crop species in interspecific hybridisation events to make new crop types which benefit from increased genetic diversity, hybrid vigour and environmental tolerances. However, several problems still need to be addressed in order to develop this new crop. Firstly, genomic stability needs to be ensured, such that true-breeding lines can be produced which maintain high fertility from generation to generation. Secondly, extensive genetic diversity needs to be created in the new crop type for selective purposes, necessitating production of germplasm from diverse sources (both species and genotypes). Finally, this new crop type has to have demonstrated agronomic potential as well as possible advantages over current conventional rapeseed varieties. In order to address these concerns, we propose to combine ongoing research work and advanced generations of Brassica germplasm types generated in both China and Germany. A multi-faceted approach will be used to 1) investigate the relationship between chromosome rearrangements and meiotic behavior in advanced, putatively stable allohexaploid lines from different sources using high throughput genotyping and cytogenetics; 2) enlarge genetic diversity based on existing germplasm and in newly generated lines produced by intercrossing and recombination between diverse Chinese and German germplasm and 3) select and assess agronomic traits in the advanced germplasm using field-based phenotyping and QTL mapping.Results will facilitate the development of a new, high-yielding rapeseed crop species for oil, vegetable and biomass energy production in China, Germany and worldwide.