Nanotechnology : the future of cost-effective plant genotyping

This chapter includes a review of first and second generation molecular marker genotyping techniques with the focus on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection. Using barley as a case study, the useful application of these genotyping techniques is identified and the limitations of these to HTP genotyping applications is discussed. Nanotechnology and a number of nanoparticle-based assays are subsequently explored and the potential cost-effective implications of this third generation genotyping technology on multiplexing and HTP genotyping are discussed

Introduction

The exponential growth in biotechnology and nanotechnology industries today along with associated decreasing costs can be compared with that of the silicon chip revolution. Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel, is often quoted as having said in 1965 that computer processing power would double every 18 months, an observation now known as Moore's law. Stated correctly, however, Moore said that the complexity for minimum component costs increased at a rate of roughly a factor of two per year. That is, cost per unit could be reduced by increasing the number of features per unit area in addition to decreasing unit size. Moore's observations in 1965 led him to speculate quite accurately on the impact of inexpensive computing power on the way we go about our daily lives today. So what has the silicon revolution got to do with genotyping molecular markers in plants? While production and commercialization of transgenic plants has been relatively successful, molecular marker technology for plant breeding has not been adopted as swiftly The scope of this chapter includes a review of first and second generation molecular marker genotyping techniques with the focus on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection. Using barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as a 9 Nanotechnology: The Future of Cost-effective Plant Genotypin