The main goal of the AnnoBeet project is to prepare the sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) genome sequence and the corresponding raw data for exploitation in breeding and biotechnological application. At the start of the project, the sugar beet genome sequence will be available at very good draft quality. Now, this DNA sequence will be annotated with great depth regarding function. A substantial contribution will come from genome resequencing data of distant sugar beet genotypes, Beta maritima and related species like spinach to include annotation for structural variation in sugar beet. We will

(i) address genomic variation in sugar beet accessions at the sequence level,

(ii) annotate the gene space as a basis for funtional allele mining and SNP value determination (coding SNPs opposed to intergenic SNPs),

(iii) study domestication relevant genes to understand yield and yield stability,

(iv) analyse presence/absence and other structural variation with potential impact on heterosis, and

(v) describe and work towards understanding the role of repetitive sequences (in particular transposable elements) which make up a large part of the genome.