ARABRAS : Identifying candidate genes for improving plant growth under abiotic stress conditions in Brassica crops – ARABRAS

Mapping populations derived from crosses between natural accessions of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana will be tested under conditions of abiotic stress, allowing the genetic analysis of genetic variation underlying abiotic stress tolerance. This genetic information together with the genomic information and resources available in Arabidopsis will be used to identify the genes responsible for variation in these traits. In parallel the performance of two Brassica napus (rapeseed) mapping populations will be analysed, allowing the detection of stress related QTL in this crop plant. Based on synteny between the two species the genetic and genomic information of Arabidopsis can be related to the genetic locations identified in B napus and used to develop molecular markers allowing the application of marker assisted selection for his complicated traits in this crop species.