Division of Crop Plant Genetics

Higher plants posses multiple modes of reproduction that are the basis for yield and breeding. The molecular genetic and genomic dissection of sexual and asexual reproduction with a focus on epigenetics as well as seed quality are important areas of research of the division. Key methods are transcriptomics of coding and non-coding RNAs, as well as biotechnological techniques.

Primarily with maize and rapeseed the topics addressed include:

• seed development and seed quality
• hybridization and heterosis
• in vivo haloid induction and androgenesis
• prediction of hybrid performance