Plant and Animal Genotyping

From Genetic Variants to Physical Traits

From Genomic Variants to Physical Traits

Animal and plant genotyping has become a mainstay of modern agricultural research. Illumina microarrays enable high-throughput screening of known genomic markers to inform selection and breeding decisions. Array-based studies can also be used to discover novel associations between SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers and traits or diseases.

Plant and Animal Genotyping Applications

Custom Arrays for Animal and Plant Genotyping
Custom Arrays for Animal and Plant Genotyping

Not every nonhuman organism has been extensively genetically investigated, resulting in an absence of commercial genotyping arrays for certain plant and animal species. We offer custom microarrays that can be designed with all the discovered markers for species of interest, enabling genotyping studies to identify variants associated with desired phenotypic traits. Through ongoing work with major agrigenomics consortia, our technology is being used to identify new, relevant markers in a wide range of species.

Copy Number Variation Studies
Copy Number Variation Studies

A common form of natural diversity, copy number variation (CNV) is also heritable. It appears to play an important role in agrigenomics. CNV differences can correlate to health and production traits, and contribute to phenotypic diversity. In animal and plant genotyping studies, the distribution of high-density probes can be used to identify CNV breakpoints and ultimately accelerate genomic improvements. Studies are ongoing to determine if the impact of CNVs is the result of differences in copy number for key genomic segments, structural modification of the genome, or a combination of both.

Fine Mapping and Candidate Gene Region Genotyping
Fine Mapping and Candidate Gene Region Genotyping

Microarray-based animal and plant genotyping can be used to create fine map traits and/or test a genotype-phenotype hypothesis. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses can be performed on the results to characterize how differential gene expression might contribute to phenotypic variation.

Whole-Genome Association Studies
Whole-Genome Association Studies

Association mapping across an entire animal or plant genome provides insight into the genetic location and architecture of linking traits to species’ adaption (eg, to a wide variety of environmental conditions). The results of these studies support whole-genome selection applications (eg, fingerprinting, net merit, marker-assisted breeding) that enhance the value of commercial crops and herds. Illumina microarrays offer focused content, custom capabilities, and convenient add-on content capabilities.

Featured Animal and Plant Genotyping Stories

GeneSeek Genotyping for Livestock and Crops
High-Throughput Animal and Plant Genotyping

GeneSeek uses custom Illumina microarrays to genotype cattle, sheep, pigs, and various crops. The resulting information supports selective breeding practices.

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Animal Genotyping is Transforming the Future of  the Agriculture Industry
Animal Genotyping is Transforming the Future of the Agriculture Industry

Genotyping will enable dairy farms to adapt to changing climate and farming conditions, while producing milk that needs less processing.

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10 Years of Genomic Selection Drives Returns for Canadian Dairy Farmers
10 Years of Genomic Selection Drives Returns for Canadian Dairy Farmers

Productivity gains and heifer selection are driving returns that are resulting in farm efficiency and competitiveness.

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Animal Genotyping Customer Stories

Improved Breeding Plans for Beef Cattle
Improved Breeding Plans for Beef Cattle

Sébastian Clairand, manager of the meat sector at Evolution and director of selection company Charolais Univers, and Antoine Chedru, a fourth-generation cattle breeder, discuss how genomic selection has increased gains in beef cattle through improved breeding plans, the ability to select for specific genes, and a quicker, better understanding of a bull’s genetic value.

How Genomic Testing Improves Dairy Cattle Herds
How Genomic Testing Improves Dairy Cattle Herds

General manager of the Canadian Dairy Network Brian Van Doormaal discusses how genomic testing can better define the value of milking cows and improve dairy herds. Brian Anderson, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, shares his own experience with genotyping cows, including doubled production, longer-lasting cows, and the significant benefits genotyping can offer in the future.

Featured Products for Plant and Animal Genotyping

iScan System
iScan System

A high-precision scanner that supports an extensive range of array applications, including genotyping, methylation profiling, and cytogenetic analysis.

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iSelect HD Custom Genotyping BeadChips
Infinium HTS iSelect Custom Beadchips

Interrogate virtually any target across any species to create a fully customized microarray tailored to your unique study needs.

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Infinium XT
Infinium XT

Infinium XT is a comprehensive microarray solution that enables production-scale genotyping of up to 50,000 single or multi-species custom variants.

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See More Agrigenomics Content

The user-friendly "Recommended Links" feature allows you to easily find content and products relevant to agricultural genomics and/or other fields of interest. You can access this option from the top of any illumina.com page.

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Additional Resources

agrigenomics genotyping cover image
Animal and plant genotyping

Illumina Infinium genotyping arrays combine cutting-edge technology with a proven track record of quality and reliability for agricultural research and breeding applications.

Bovine Genotyping Improves Milk Production
Bovine Genotyping Improves Milk Production

The BovineSNP50 BeadChip enables Martin Dairy to accelerate genetic progress of Jersey herd.

The Future of Beef Cattle Breeding
The Future of Beef Cattle Breeding

Sandhill Farms incorporates genomic technologies into the trait selection process to provide more predictable seed stock.

Consortium to Grow Better Cotton
Consortium to Grow Better Cotton

Researchers developed a cotton genotyping array, enabling breeders to produce more sustainable and valuable cotton.

Modern Breeding Programs for the Sunflower
Modern Breeding Programs for the Sunflower

The sunflower industry adopts genomics tools to better inform breeding decisions and improve disease resistance.

Library Prep and Array Kit Selector
Library Prep and Array Kit Selector

Determine the best kit for your needs based on your starting material and method or application.

Polyploid Organism Genotyping
Polyploid Organism Genotyping

GenomeStudio Software now contains a polyploid clustering module for analyzing species with the most complicated genomes.

Custom Genotyping Options
Custom Genotyping Options

The broadest range of marker density and the most flexible content for any genome, in any species.