To deal with this problem, plant breeders and geneticists have been identifying, cataloging and mapping single gene markers in higher plants in hopes of using the markers associated with a desirable trait to help with selection. Until recently, genetic markers used to develop linkage maps in plants have been those affecting those characters that are easily seen. However, these cause such large effects on phenotypes that they are undesirable in breeding programs. As a result, marker-assisted selection in plant breeding has not reached its full potential due to the lack of suitable genetic markers. Recombinant DNA technology has provided a new tool, the DNA-based molecular marker, for the old science of plant breeding.
Molecular markers are small DNA fragments located on chromosomes.
They could be associated with genes that control traits of interest in plants. The advent of DNA marker technology makes the use of marker-assisted selection a reality and will change the strategy of traditional plant breeding from phenotype to genotype selection for most of the important agronomic traits. It is anticipated that this marker technology can greatly reduce the length of time of traditional plant breeding to produce new varieties. It is our belief that the use of biotechnology will contribute to the development of soybean and common bean cultivars for Ontario growers. Kangfu Yu , Vaino Poysa , Soon J. Park White mould of soybean is one of the most severe diseases in Ontario and the north-central United States production area.