International Master in Plant Genetics, Genomics and Breeding - Genética, genómica y mejora vegetal

With students from more than 25 countries, enjoy a multicultural experience!
63 professionals from 8 countries in the last edition, each a specialist in their own field.
Programme accredited with the Seal of Excellence.

B2 de inglés

"From a professional and educational standpoint, the different editions of the Master have helped me update my knowledge on genetics and new gene technologies. The programme has also been very useful for my work, helping me to learn and understand how horticultural variety breeding companies work. I have been able to contact lecturers and researchers from other centres, share opinions and ideas that have helped me refocus
some aspects of my work and even establish other approaches to the lines of development and innovation pursued in the cooperative I work for. The usefulness and advantages of attending this Master are many, from research grants, training for researchers, development of breeding programmes to the pride in learning and being continuosly updated on everything related to plant breeding".
José Manuel Estévez

"Attending this Plant Breeding Master programme is one of the best decisions I have ever made for my professional training and personal development. It was a very fulfi lling experience which aff orded me great knowledge and opened many doors for me. The scientifi c contents of the Master’s and the combination of lectures with team work and workshops were very useful to help me acquire new knowledge and provided me with many connections, work off ers and references. The opportunity I had to conduct research during the second year was very useful to guide my first steps in my scientific career"
Najla Ksouri
PhD student CSIC-EEAD

"The Master has meant a large step forward in my professional career as well as in my personal life. At a professional level, it has enabled me to consolidate my knowledge and embark upon a scientifi c career that I thoroughly enjoy; it has been a very good Master as it off ered us the possibility of learning together with a great group of staff and lecturers at IAMZ. On a personal level it has allowed me to establish links of friendship with colleagues from diff erent countries and during my time in Zaragoza, IAMZ became home for international students, for which I am very grateful".
Rosa Angélica Sánchez Díaz
Director General for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology National Institute for Agricultural Innovation-INIA

"Doing the Master at IAMZ has enabled me to develop professionally (networking) and personally. This work has allowed me to acquire deeper knowledge of the crop and develop and implement methodologies and new innovative tools to assess varieties. Finally, defending my Final Master
Project was yet another opportunity to develop professional skills such as perseverance and orientation towards results".
Samir Kerfal>

"The phenomenon of genotype by environment interaction (GxE) occurs when genotypes react diff erently to changes in their growing environment. Modelling of GxE is important for understanding adaptedness, adaptability and stability of genotypes. Simultaneously, understanding GxE allows
breeders to design effi cient breeding programmes. In the course, students will learn about various classes of statistical models to tackle problems related to GxE"
Fred van Eeuwijk
Wageningen UR, the Netherlands

"Genetic resources are a treasure inherited from our ancestors and it is our duty to transmit them to future generations. They are essential to guarantee food security and face the challenges of climate change because without diversity there is no possible selection. The course analyses
the importance of genetic resources, their growing erosion and the interdependence of genetic resources between countries. Furthermore, the socio-economic, political and ethical implications related to their conservation and sustainable use are analysed as well as the development of
legal instruments negotiated and approved by all countries."
José Esquinas
UPM, Madrid

To understand the basics and principles of modern plant breeding, including molecular, genomic and biotechnological techniques.
To be acquainted with the diff erent selection and breeding processes and assess the advantages and disadvantages of each according to crop features, breeding objectives and environmental conditions.
To acquire the necessary skills to integrate the conventional and most up-to date techniques, that increase effi cacy in the selection processes and improve the development of new varieties in a breeding programme.
To design breeding programmes for a specifi c crop species under particular conditions of a country or region according to certain objectives.
To be introduced into research, and apply knowledge, skills and competencies to the critical treatment of plant breeding problems

FIRST YEAR
Purposes, principles and processes in plant breeding
Agricultural systems, crop physiology and climate change
Plant genetics
Structural and functional genomics
Introduction to data science for plant breeding
Bioinformatics
Breeding methods and variety development
Linkage mapping and GWAS
Marker enabled prediction and selection
Phenomics and analysis of omics data
Expanding the breeders’ toolbox
Applied breeding programmes
Individual project: design of plant breeding programmes

SECOND YEAR
Introduction to research
Final Master Project (Master Thesis)

Plant biotechnology fi rms, seed and plant companies, etc.
Public bodies in control of seeds and variety certifi cation.
Research and teaching centres