PCR amplification from single seeds, facilitating DNA marker-assisted breeding.

Molecular markers provide a means of indirect selection for agriculturally important traits which are difficult or expensive to measure (1). Because these markers can be detected in the lab and have complete heritability, marker-assisted selection can enhance breeding efficiency. However, its practical use in crop improvement requires efficient methods for screening large populations, minimizing the number of plants carried to maturity, and preventing undesirable genotypes from pollinating of the next seed generation. We introduce a simple method for DNA extraction from a small portion of the embryo of single seeds, which allows screening of individual genotypes prior to planting, permitting the breeders to selectively grow only plants with particular target genotypes.