Developing and deploying an efficient genotyping workflow for accelerating maize improvement in developing countries

Background: Molecular breeding is an essential tool for accelerating genetic gain in crop improvement towards meeting the need to feed an ever-growing world population. Establishing low-cost, flexible genotyping platforms in small, public and regional laboratories can stimulate the application of molecular breeding in developing countries. These laboratories can serve plant breeding projects requiring low- to medium-density markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) and quality control (QC) activities. Methods: We performed two QC and MAS experiments consisting of 637 maize lines, using an optimised genotyping workflow involving an in-house competitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) genotyping system with an optimised sample collection, preparation, and DNA extraction and quantitation process. A smaller volume of leaf-disc size plant samples was collected directly in 96-well plates for DNA extraction, using a slightly modified CTAB-based DArT DNA extraction protocol. DNA quality and quantity analyses were performed using a microplate reader, and the KASP genotyping and data analysis was performed in our laboratory. Results: Applying the optimized genotyping workflow expedited the QC and MAS experiments from over five weeks (when outsourcing) to two weeks and eliminated the shipping cost. Using a set of 28 KASP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) validated for maize, the QC experiment revealed the genetic identity of four maize varieties taken from five seed sources. Another set of 10 KASP SNPs was sufficient in verifying the parentage of 390 F (1) lines. The KASP-based MAS was successfully applied to a maize pro-vitamin A (PVA) breeding program and for introgressing the aflatoxin resistance gene into elite tropical maize lines. Conclusion: This improved workflow has helped accelerate maize improvement activities of IITA's Maize Improvement Program and facilitated DNA fingerprinting for tracking improved crop varieties. National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in developing countries can adopt this workflow to fast-track molecular marker-based genotyping for crop improvement.