MAP MAIZE: A EUROPEAN INITIATIVE TO MAP BASE CLONE GENES FROM Zea mays

Cell Biology, IACR-Long Ashton Research Station, University of Bristol, Bristol BS41 9AF UK

The European Framework IV programme Map Maize is now one year old. The programme was originally designed to develop the procedures required to map and clone agronomically important genes in Zea mays. Currently, the ten partner consortium is developing both the large (>10,000 plants) mapping populations and the large insert clones (both YACs and BACs) required to undertake the gene(s) identification. In my presentation I will discuss both the aims of the Map Maize programme and the progress that has been made in cloning and characterising the various target genes.