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

The Master is mainly held in Zaragoza and is co-organised by the University of Lleida (UdL) and the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, in collaboration with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and two Spanish research centres. One of them, the Center for Plant Biotechnology and Genomis (CBGP), has been granted the Spanish accreditation of Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence. The other, Agrotecnio, belongs to the Catalan i-CERCA network of Centres of Excellence in Catalonia.

Plant breeding plays a key role in increasing crop yield and quality, by developing varieties that are adapted to the different environmental conditions, make better use of inputs and are integrated in environmentally and economically viable agricultural systems.

This discipline has evolved to a complex science, integrating new genetic, genomic, molecular, cellular and computer-based tools into classical selection methods. It is therefore necessary to train young professionals and scientists to meet the challenges of the agriculture of the future.

The Master programme is targeted to graduates of agronomy, forestry science, biology, biotechnology and other related subjects. Basic knowledge of plant biology, genetics, genomics and statistics will be required and applicants should accredit B2 level of English.

"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

The main objectives of the Master are to provide:

An understanding of the basics and principles of modern plant breeding, including molecular, genomic, phenomic, and biotechnological techniques
Comprehension of the classical selection and breeding methods and criteria to assess the advantages and drawbacks of each according to the characteristics of crop species, the breeding objectives, the environmental conditions and the socioeconomic context
The skills necessary to integrate in a breeding programme the conventional and the most up-to-date techniques that contribute towards greater efficacy in the selection processes and in the development of new varieties
Competence to design a breeding programme for a given crop species for the conditions of a country or region according specific objectives
An introduction into research, and development of skills and competencies involved.

First Year

Unit 1: Agricultural systems and plant breeding (4.5 ECTS)
Unit 2: Plant genetics (6 ECTS)
Unit 3: Structural and functional genomics (3 ECTS)
Unit 4: Introduction to data science for plant breeding (7.5 ECTS)
Unit 5: Bioinformatics (3 ECTS)
Unit 6: Breeding methods and variety development (12 ECTS)
Unit 7: Marker enabled prediction and selection (6 ECTS)
Unit 8: Phenomics and analysis of -omics data (3 ECTS)
Unit 9: Applied breeding programmes (9 ECTS)
Unit 10: Individual Project: Design of Plant Breeding Programmes (6 ECTS)

The second year of the Master consists of tutored initiation to research or to professional activity in collaboration with governmental institutions, universities, research centres, ONGs, associations and private firms. CIHEAM Zaragoza coordinators will provide information about the activities of the centres where students will carry out their projects for a duration of 10 to 12 months. Students will choose a topic of their interest. They may also propose a project upo

Unit 11: Introduction to research (30 ECTS)
Soft skills (6 ECTS) and Practicum (24 ECTS)
Unit 12: Master thesis (30 ECTS)

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