WHAT ARE MAGIC POPULATIONS

❑ MAGIC stands for Multiparent Advanced Generation Intercross.

❑ MAGIC populations can be said as a collection of RILs which are produced

from a complex cross or an outbred population that involves multiple
parental lines which can be inbred lines, clones, or individuals selected on
the basis of their origin or use.

❑ This concept was first used in mice as “heterogeneous stocks” and later
extended to plants by Mackay and Powell (2007), who also proposed the
name MAGIC.
 STEPS FOR DEVELOPING A MAGIC POPULATION
1. Production a complex cross involving multiple, typically eight, parental lines
where mostly diallel is involved.

2. Each F1 is crossed with two random F1 for one or more generations.

3. Selfing is continued to produce RILs.

4. Three or more RILs, called MAGIC lines from all the crosses together
constitute the MAGIC population.

Thus it can be categorized into four steps :

i. Founder Selection ii. Mixing iii. Advanced Intercross iv. Inbreeding

 Fig. 1. : A schematic diagram of production a typical MAGIC population.

NOTE
Fig. 2. : A schematic diagram of
In Fig. 2, the two double crosses are mated together to produce an production a MAGIC population
eight-parent complex cross. This complex cross is handled as per the using double cross hybrid approach
SSD procedure to develop the required number of RILs, which together followed by SSD.
constitute the MAGIC population.
 USES OF MAGIC POPULATIONS
1. High Density Linkage Map construction.
2. QTL Mapping and fine mapping of multiple QTLs within the same population.
3. Representation of genetic variability from a stock of elite germplasm lines.
4. Development of varieties with agronomically beneficial traits.
5. Suitable for breeding in diverse climatic conditions.
6. Can be used directly as a source of breeding material in commercial seed farms.
7. Provides solution to breeding constraints and creates genetic diversity.
 ADVANTAGES OF MAGIC POPULATIONS
1. More targeted traits.
2. Greater genetic variability.
3. Chances to get the best combination of desired genes
4. Increased precision and resolution of QTLs.
5. Shuffling of genes across different parents novel rearrangement of genes.

DISDVANTAGES OF MAGIC POPULATIONS

1. Intensive labor for crossing.
2. Requires huge amount of time, space and cost.
3. Requirement of large population size.
4. Requires large scale phenotyping and inputs.
5. Since these populations are created from several parents, they are likely to
show segregation for multiple traits
 SOME INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS IN INDIA
1. CSR 30 – A Rice variety developed by IRRI, Hyderabad. Belongs to basmati group. Sodicity
tolerant.

2. IR77298-14-1-2-10 – Drought tolerant and RTV resistant. (IRRI)

3. Ten-Ten S1 – Rice Variety from TNAU. Currently seed produced and distributed by
Nuziveedu seeds. High Yielding, lodging resistant and drought tolerant. Favorable for
district of Purulia in West Bengal.

4. ICPH – 22671 – An early maturity pigeon pea variety from ICRISAT and resistant to
sterility mosaic virus and fusarium wilt.

5. Several QTLs and major genes have been identified.

THANK YOU