EVALUATIONOF OUTREACH EFFORTS

Michael CoeCedar Lake Research Group

RosBREED

Feedback From RosBREED EventsEvent Audience Topics

MAB in Action! at ASHSJuly 2012, Miami FL

All Rosaceae breeders and allied scientists

• Overview of integrating DNA information at various points in a breeding program • Priorities and logistics for applying known QTLs (marker-locus-trait associations)

within existing breeding programs• Improving knowledge of the germplasm available in an existing breeding program• Selecting parents, designing crosses• Culling seedlings

Pedigree-Based Analysis Workshop 2012March 2012, Michigan State University

Demonstration breeders and trainees

• Crop teams practiced use of FlexQTL to analyze their real data• Plenary sessions on interpretation of output and use for breeding decisions

Pedigree-Based Analysis Workshop 2011March 2011, Michigan State University

Demonstration breeders and trainees

• In-depth FlexQTL concepts, workflow, analytic models, interpretation• Use of R scripts for graph generation• Tuning analyses for accuracy and speed

RosBREED Workshop at ASHSAugust 2010, Palm Desert CA

All Rosaceae breeders and allied scientists

• RosBREED project overview and goals• RosBREED socio-economic research• Building capacity for marker-assisted breeding among U.S. Rosaceae breeders

Pedigree-Based Analysis Workshop 2010June 2010, Michigan State University

Demonstration breeders and trainees

• Overview of pedigree-based analysis• Use of the Pedimap software• Analysis of identity by descent• Getting started with the FlexQTL software

RosBREED

Feedback From RosBREED Events

Participant Ratings of 38 Topical Sessions Within the 2010-2012 Workshops:

Response Options

Relevance of Session Topics:

“Is this topic relevant or important to your work?”

No Sort of Yes

4 % 17 % 79 %

Length of Sessions:

“Amount of time spent on topic was: ”

Not enough Just right Too much

18 % 72 % 10 %

Quality of Specific Sessions

“Was the presentation clear and effective?”

Not very effective

OK Very effective

10 % 47 % 44 %

Technical Level of Workshop as a Whole:

“The presentation level was: ”

Way too basic

A little too basic

Just rightA little too advanced

Way too advanced

1 % 5 % 68 % 25 % 2 %

Note: Values are average response rates across 38 specific workshop sessions (weighted equally) from 4 workshops in which these questions were asked (PBA 2010 & 2011 and ASHS 2010 & 2012). Row percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

Note: Values are average response rates across all 5 RosBREED 2010-2012 workshops (weighted equally). Row percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

RosBREED

Feedback From RosBREED Events

Average Participant Ratings of the Overall Quality

of 2010-2012 Workshops:

Response Options

Strongly Disagree

Moderately Disagree

Slightly Disagree

Slightly Agree

Moderately Agree

Strongly Agree

Content was consistent with the publicized description.

1 % 1 % 2 % 10 % 43 % 43 %

Learning objectives were clearly stated.

1 % 3 % 5 % 7 % 38 % 46 %

Learning objectives were met. 1 % 3 % 3 % 14 % 55 % 25 %

There was a balance between theory and application.

1 % 2 % 9 % 12 % 40 % 37 %

I gained new knowledge that is applicable to my work.

1 % 2 % 2 % 16 % 17 % 62 %

I plan to apply what I learned. 1 % 3 % 2 % 8 % 24 % 63 %

The handouts were useful. 1 % 2 % 3 % 11 % 33 % 50 %

I would recommend this course to others.

1 % 1 % 3 % 8 % 34 % 53 %Note: Values are average response rates across all 5 RosBREED 2010-2012 workshops (weighted equally). Row percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

RosBREED

Participant Recommendations for

• Future educational events and technical assistance (format and content)

• Further development of software tools and online resources

• Further MAB research and development

Feedback From RosBREED Events

Example:

Themes in recommendations for future R&Dfrom participants in the 2012 Pedigree-Based Analysis workshop

• Further development of analytic corrections for years, locations, and repetitions; enhanced analysis of phenotypic data

• An improved interface and more complete documentation for the FlexQTL software

• More analysis of non-additive marker-locus-trait association (QTL) models

• Inclusion of dominant gene effects

• More measurement and analysis of gene by environment interactions

• More direct application of marker-assisted methods to breeding program decisions

RosBREED

Input From the U.S. Rosaceae Breeding CommunityStudy Sample Topics

2011/2012

Rosaceae Breeder Interviews

Random sample:

25 percent of U.S. Rosaceae breeders

7 RosBREED demonstration breeders and 8 community breeders

In-depth interviews:

• Context and issues of breeding program capacity

• Attitude and expectations for marker-assisted breeding

• Current and planned uses of MAB

• Opportunities and challenges for MAB

• Effectiveness of RosBREED

• Recommendations for research, development, outreach

2010

Rosaceae Breeding Program Survey

Representative sample:

70 percent of U.S. Rosaceae breeders &

62 percent of allied scientists

Baseline survey:

• Knowledge of marker-assisted methods

• Attitudes toward the application of markers

• Skills for using these tools and methods

• Actual use of markers in their work

• Recommendations for training and information resources

• Recommendations for further research and development

Upcoming 2013 Breeding Program Survey will examine changes since 2010

RosBREED

What Have We Learned? Some Highlights:

There is wide variation in Rosaceae breeder preparedness for MAB

• Attitude and knowledge regarding the feasibility and value of MAB

• Knowledge and skills for applying MAB

• Intention to apply MAB: Whether or not, and When – soon vs. someday

• Intention to apply MAB: How – Desire to be personally involved vs. hire staff to do it vs. work with collaborators or vendors

• Variation by crop, market, region: availability of “jewels” (validated marker-locus-trait associations; QTLs), differing problems to be solved, support and resources available

RosBREED Response: • Publicize “jewel” use as examples of success, feasibility

• Develop tools and approaches useful for a wide variety of breeding programs

• Provide tailored professional development and technical assistance to breeding programs through small-group, crop-specific workshops and individual consultations

RosBREED

What Have We Learned? Some Highlights:

Breeding program economics are a challenge for MAB implementation

• Increasing costs for core breeding operations: basic personnel, equipment, field and greenhouse operations

• Budgets are shrinking relative to costs for maintaining current operations; mere survival of current breeding programs is an issue for many

• MAB requires additional personnel, training, equipment, collaborators, services – start-up costs are a challenge

• Administrative and public support is often lacking – low awareness of the value of breeding programs; poor infrastructure in many public programs and crops/market sectors for marketing, publicity, recovering return on investment

RosBREED Response: • Socio-economic research to help prioritize desired traits

• Low-cost tools, training opportunities, technical assistance, and collaboration opportunities

• Assistance identifying the most appropriate “next steps” toward MAB for breeding programs

RosBREED

What Have We Learned? Some Highlights:

Needed: More QTLs and greater assurance they will work within specific breeding programs, lineages, environments

• Breeders want more QTLs (M-L-T associations) and more validation studies, especially within their programs

• Breeders want more knowledge about gene by environment interactions in their crops and environments

• Breeders want to be able to improve traits that are currently poorly defined and difficult to phenotype

However

• Desire and program capacity to participate in QTL discovery or validation varies greatly

RosBREED Response: • Leadership, tools, examples of how programs can participate in marker discovery and

validation studies efficiently, given their program circumstances

• Development of more analytic tools for gene by environment interactions

• Standardized tools for collecting, managing, sharing, analyzing phenotypic & genotypic data

RosBREED

What Have We Learned? Some Highlights:

Needed: Expansion to more crops and more traits

• Breeders appreciate the current focus on fruit quality traits

• Breeders want marker-assisted methods applied to additional crops and traits:

• Pest or disease resistance (or tolerance)

• High yield

• Phenological or adaptive traits (e.g. ability to grow in different climatic zones or adapt to changing or broader climate and weather conditions; ability to produce multiple crops during a season)

• Suitability for machine harvesting

• Post-harvest traits

RosBREED Response: • Tools, concepts, processes that can be applied to many crops and traits

• Extension, training opportunities for all Rosaceous crops, including programs that are focusing on various kinds of traits

RosBREED

2013 Rosaceae Breeding Program Survey

Breeders + Allied Scientists

Contribute your observations and recommendationsfor the future of marker-assisted breeding in Rosaceae

Coming to your email account in spring 2013!

Plans for 2013