Mid density SNP panel design for the Urochloa interspecific breeding program

Here we describe the development of a mid-density (~5K) SNP panel specifically designed for genomic selection in interspecific Urochloa hybrids. The panel was designed using high-quality variant data generated from multiple genotyping assays representative of the CIAT breeding population, including DArT-reseq–based datasets, and was refined through systematic filtering for marker quality, minor allele frequency (MAF), linkage disequilibrium (LD), and physical distance to ensure an even and informative distribution across the tetraploid genome. A complementary backup SNP set was also generated to provide flexibility during assay development. This report summarizes the methodology, presents the main outcomes of the panel design, and discusses its relevance for GS implementation in the CIAT Urochloa breeding program.