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This is from John Gibson, again.
In the livestock world, geneticists understandably hold out hope for the application of genome assisted selection tools in developing world systems. The argument is that in most cases there is no existing genetic improvement program and genomic tools provide an alternative to the establishment of on-going recording and genetic evaluation programs. But genomic selection faces many of the same hurdles that have prevented effective genetic improvement using existing technologies. A few of these include:
A) genetic improvement is too often based on wishful thinking rather than critical assessment of farmer livelihoods, needs and demands......research geneticists have a poor track record in both developed and developing world of producing products that farmers actually want;
B) genetically improved livestock require sustainable distribution systems that among other things provide the clear incentives (price and demonstrably improved genotype) for farmers while also having a sustainable business model for the agencies/businesses operating the delivery chain;
C) need for a technically sound improvement program that is sustainable for the length of time (long) it will take to make improvement sufficiently large that the program has positive cost-benefits for the breeders undertaking the improvement and for the farmers offered the product.
In the developed world, initial excitement about genome assisted selection has been tempered by research results that have led to all genomic selection being based on enhanced relationship matrices and from these improved accuracy of estimated breeding values (EBV), and not results from genome-wide association studies. The techniques being used in developed country genetic improvement programs today are not applicable in most developing countries because they all require on-going extensive recording programs, which in most cases do not exist.
Much social-economic-genetic research is required to determine where and how genome assisted selection could deliver value in developing world livestock improvement. Without such research we can confidently predict that most money invested in genomic selection in the developing world will not result in improved livestock being used widely by farmers; just as the majority of investments in conventional genetic improvement have previously failed.
Professor John Gibson
Director, The Centre for Genetic Analysis and Applications
Coordinator, International Development Activities
School of Environmental and Rural Science
C.J. Hawkins Homestead
University of New England
Armidale, NSW 2351
Australia
tel: +61 02 6773 2930
fax: +61 02 6773 3922
mobile: +61 0437 039951
email: jgibson5 (at) une.edu.au
[To contribute to this conference, send your message to [log in to unmask] For further information on this FAO Biotechnology Forum, see http://www.fao.org/biotech/biotech-forum/ ]
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