Plant & Animal Genome IX Conference

Workshop: Barley
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APPROACHES TO ISOLATING FLOWERING TIME GENES IN BARLEY

John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK

The timing of flowering is an important component of crop adaptation with considerable effects on yield and quality. Several major genes and numerous QTL affecting flowering in barley have been genetically mapped, but in order to understand how the genes work it will be necessary to isolate them. Several strategies could be used. The first is a map-based approach in barley itself. The second is a comparative approach using other cereals, especially rice which has a much smaller genome size. The third is the analysis of barley homologues of genes that have been proven to regulate flowering in other species, particularly the model dicot Arabidopsis thaliana. The relative advantages and disadvantages of these approaches are considered.