Advances in Marker Assisted Selection in Peanut.

The Peanut Genome Initiative has resulted in the development, phenotyping, and genotyping of several structured populations.  This research is essential for making the peanut genome sequence useful to breeders because it will make the connection between genes, gene markers, genetic maps, and agronomic traits in peanut.  Several research groups have selected specific populations to phenotype for biotic and abiotic stresses.  Two of these populations have also been extensively phenotyped for seed and pod characteristics, and yield.  Data analysis has resulted in the identification of QTLs for resistance to several important diseases.  QTLs have also been identified for yield and grade characteristics. Studies are ongoing in 2016 to confirm these results and to test the applicability of these QTLs in maker assisted selection.