Systems and methods for genotyping seed components
Methods for obtaining genetic material from plant embryos while preserving their viability as well as methods for performing a molecular analysis of plant embryos, particularly with small quantities of genetic material by collecting shed cellular material from one or more plant embryos; obtaining DNA from the shed cellular material; performing a molecular analysis of the DNA; and germinating at least one of the one or more plant embryos. A further extension includes determining whether to germinate and grow the embryo or to discard the embryo based on its genotype as part of a breeding process. Also provided are methods of genotyping embryos using embryo shed cellular material contained in or on agar and methods of analyzing plant embryonic tissue derived from microspores.
1. A method of selecting an ungerminated maize embryo to grow into a plant comprising:
(a) obtaining portions of agar in contact with multiple ungerminated maize embryos, wherein each of said portions comprise shed cellular material of one of said multiple ungerminated maize embryos;
(b) obtaining genetic material from at least one portion of agar comprising the shed cellular material;
(c) performing molecular analyses of the genetic material obtained from the at least one portion of agar comprising shed cellular material;
(d) selecting an ungerminated maize embryo based on the molecular analysis performed in step (c) to generate a selected ungerminated maize embryo; and
(e) germinating the selected ungerminated maize embryo into a plant.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said agar comprises a chromosome doubling agent.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said chromosome doubling agent is colchicine.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing at least one ungerminated maize embryo from the agar and storing said maize embryo.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said molecular analysis is genotyping.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple ungerminated maize embryos are removed from the agar using an automated process.