Using phenomic selection to predict hybrid values with NIR spectra measured on the parental lines: proof of concept on maize.

Phenomic selection based on parental spectra can be used to predict GCA and SCA in a sparse factorial design. Prediction approaches such as genomic selection can be game changers in hybrid breeding. They allow predicting the genetic values of hybrids without the need for their physical production.

Effects of maize development and phenology on the field infestation dynamics of the European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

Phenological match/mismatch between cultivated plants and their pest could impact pest infestation dynamics in the field. To explore how such match/mismatch of plant and pest phenologies may interact with plant defense dynamics, we studied the infestation dynamics of maize by one of its main pests in Europe, the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis; Lepidoptera: Crambidae). A two-year field experiment was carried out on a collection of 23 maize inbred lines contrasted for their earliness.

Genetic and Phenotypic Evaluation of European Maize Landraces as a Tool for Conservation and Valorization of Agrobiodiversity.

The ECPGR European Evaluation Network (EVA) for Maize involves genebanks, research institutions, and private breeding companies from nine countries focusing on the valorization of maize genetic resources across Europe. This study describes a diverse collection of 626 local landraces and traditional varieties of maize ( L.) from nine European genebanks, including criteria for selection of the collection and its genetic and phenotypic diversity.

Portability of genomic predictions trained on sparse factorial designs across two maize silage breeding cycles.

We validated the efficiency of genomic predictions calibrated on sparse factorial training sets to predict the next generation of hybrids and tested different strategies for updating predictions along generations. Genomic selection offers new prospects for revisiting hybrid breeding schemes by replacing extensive phenotyping of individuals with genomic predictions. Finding the ideal design for training genomic prediction models is still an open question.

Assessing the potential of genetic resource introduction into elite germplasm: a collaborative multiparental population for flint maize.

Implementing a collaborative pre-breeding multi-parental population efficiently identifies promising donor x elite pairs to enrich the flint maize elite germplasm. Genetic diversity is crucial for maintaining genetic gains and ensuring breeding programs' long-term success. In a closed breeding program, selection inevitably leads to a loss of genetic diversity.

[What is 'botox', what are fillers, and how safe are these cosmetic injectables?].

Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A, popularly referred to as 'botox') is a muscle-relaxant that is injected into the mimic facial muscles to soften wrinkles in more than two percent of Dutch women annually. A similar number of women undergo filler injections with hyaluronic acid hydrogels, used to counteract the aging appearance of the skin, or to create desired facial contours. Complications are generally mild in nature and rare (certainly compared to surgical complication rates) and include nodules, bumps and a temporary heavy feeling of the eyebrows.

[Cosmetic facial surgery: a bird's eye view].

Surgical procedures that rejuvenate and/or harmonize the face are known for their long-lasting and clinically relevant positive effects on the psychological well-being and quality of life of the client. Despite the popularity of cosmetic injectables, facelift surgery remains the most powerful and durable treatment for restoring aging symptoms, especially in the female face. Skin correction of the upper eyelids is the most commonly performed aesthetic facial surgery.

[Cosmetic injectables in dental practice: legal aspects in the Netherlands].

A recent survey indicates 49% of this journal's subscribers endorse the administration of cosmetic injectables by properly trained dentists. Given the surging demand for cosmetic treatments, it's essential to establish clear guidelines and conventions defining the roles of the various healthcare professionals in various situations. There is, however, considerable discussion still and from a legal standpoint, the role of dentists within cosmetic medicine remains ambiguous.

Identifying QTLs involved in hybrid performance and heterotic group complementarity: new GWAS models applied to factorial and admixed diallel maize hybrid panels.

An original GWAS model integrating the ancestry of alleles was proposed and allowed the detection of background specific additive and dominance QTLs involved in heterotic group complementarity and hybrid performance. Maize genetic diversity is structured into genetic groups selected and improved relative to each other. This process increases group complementarity and differentiation over time and ensures that the hybrids produced from inter-group crosses exhibit high performances and heterosis.

Natural variation of maize root hydraulic architecture underlies highly diverse water uptake capacities.

Plant water uptake is determined by the root system architecture and its hydraulic capacity, which together define the root hydraulic architecture. The current research aims at understanding the water uptake capacities of maize (Zea mays), a model organism and major crop. We explored the genetic variations within a collection of 224 maize inbred Dent lines and successively defined core genotype subsets to access multiple architectural, anatomical, and hydraulic parameters in the primary root (PR) and seminal roots (SR) of hydroponically grown seedlings.

Genotyping of DNA pools identifies untapped landraces and genomic regions to develop next-generation varieties.

Landraces, that is, traditional varieties, have a large diversity that is underexploited in modern breeding. A novel DNA pooling strategy was implemented to identify promising landraces and genomic regions to enlarge the genetic diversity of modern varieties. As proof of concept, DNA pools from 156 American and European maize landraces representing 2340 individuals were genotyped with an SNP array to assess their genome-wide diversity.

Genomic prediction of hybrid performance: comparison of the efficiency of factorial and tester designs used as training sets in a multiparental connected reciprocal design for maize silage.

Calibrating a genomic selection model on a sparse factorial design rather than on tester designs is advantageous for some traits, and equivalent for others. In maize breeding, the selection of the candidate inbred lines is based on topcross evaluations using a limited number of testers. Then, a subset of single-crosses between these selected lines is evaluated to identify the best hybrid combinations.

Deciphering the Genetic Diversity of Landraces With High-Throughput SNP Genotyping of DNA Bulks: Methodology and Application to the Maize 50k Array.

Genebanks harbor original landraces carrying many original favorable alleles for mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses. Their genetic diversity remains, however, poorly characterized due to their large within genetic diversity. We developed a high-throughput, cheap and labor saving DNA bulk approach based on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Illumina Infinium HD array to genotype landraces.

Revisiting hybrid breeding designs using genomic predictions: simulations highlight the superiority of incomplete factorials between segregating families over topcross designs.

Simulations showed that hybrid performances issued from an incomplete factorial between segregating families of two heterotic groups enable to calibrate genomic predictions of hybrid value more efficiently than tester-based designs. Genomic selection offers new opportunities to revisit hybrid breeding by replacing extensive phenotyping of hybrid combinations by genomic predictions. A key question remains to identify the best design to calibrate genomic prediction models.

Disentangling group specific QTL allele effects from genetic background epistasis using admixed individuals in GWAS: An application to maize flowering.

When handling a structured population in association mapping, group-specific allele effects may be observed at quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for several reasons: (i) a different linkage disequilibrium (LD) between SNPs and QTLs across groups, (ii) group-specific genetic mutations in QTL regions, and/or (iii) epistatic interactions between QTLs and other loci that have differentiated allele frequencies between groups. We present here a new genome-wide association (GWAS) approach to identify QTLs exhibiting such group-specific allele effects. We developed genetic materials including admixed progeny from different genetic groups with known genome-wide ancestries (local admixture).

Genotyping-by-sequencing and SNP-arrays are complementary for detecting quantitative trait loci by tagging different haplotypes in association studies.

Background: Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) array and re-sequencing technologies have different properties (e.g. calling rate, minor allele frequency profile) and drawbacks (e.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for dermal ischemia after dermal filler injection with calcium hydroxylapatite: a case report.

Dermal injection of fillers is a popular and relatively safe aesthetic procedure. Severe complications are rare, but they do occur. One of the most threatening complications after dermal filler injection is skin necrosis due to vascular occlusion.

Quantitative trait loci mapping in hybrids between Dent and Flint maize multiparental populations reveals group-specific QTL for silage quality traits with variable pleiotropic effects on yield.

Silage quality traits of maize hybrids between the Dent and Flint heterotic groups mostly involved QTL specific of each parental group, some of them showing unfavorable pleiotropic effects on yield. Maize (Zea mays L.) is commonly used as silage for cattle feeding in Northern Europe.

Reciprocal Genetics: Identifying QTL for General and Specific Combining Abilities in Hybrids Between Multiparental Populations from Two Maize ( L.) Heterotic Groups.

Several plant and animal species of agricultural importance are commercialized as hybrids to take advantage of the heterosis phenomenon. Understanding the genetic architecture of hybrid performances is therefore of key importance. We developed two multiparental maize ( L.

Linkage Analysis and Association Mapping QTL Detection Models for Hybrids Between Multiparental Populations from Two Heterotic Groups: Application to Biomass Production in Maize ( L.).

Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in the variation of hybrid value is of key importance for cross-pollinated species such as maize ( L.). In a companion paper, we illustrated a new QTL mapping population design involving a factorial mating between two multiparental segregating populations.

Genotyping-by-sequencing highlights original diversity patterns within a European collection of 1191 maize flint lines, as compared to the maize USDA genebank.

Genotyping by sequencing is suitable for analysis of global diversity in maize. We showed the distinctiveness of flint maize inbred lines of interest to enrich the diversity of breeding programs. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) is a highly cost-effective procedure that permits the analysis of large collections of inbred lines.

General and specific combining abilities in a maize (Zea mays L.) test-cross hybrid panel: relative importance of population structure and genetic divergence between parents.

General and specific combining abilities of maize hybrids between 288 inbred lines and three tester lines were highly related to population structure and genetic distance inferred from SNP data. Many studies have attempted to provide reliable and quick methods to identify promising parental lines and combinations in hybrid breeding programs. Since the 1950s, maize germplasm has been organized into heterotic groups to facilitate the exploitation of heterosis.