Generally, the cost of MAS will continue to be a
major obstacle for its application. Some cost estimates
for consumables and labour associated with MAS are
listed in table 3 in order to provide information for
breeding programmes. It should be noted that MAS
cost estimates may change depending on the number of
samples and/or number of marker assays. The study by
Dreher et al. (2003) indicated that costs may decrease
as the number of samples and/or marker assays
increases due to economies of scale and lack of
divisibility for many components of MAS. One current
trend is the establishment of marker genotyping
companies, which will enable marker genotyping to
be outsourced. Assuming that the costs for outsourcing
genotyping are cheaper, and that logistical problems
are not created or are minimal, this may provide
breeding programmes with more opportunities for
MAS. Furthermore, some new SNP high-throughput
genotyping methods may also be comparable with or
even cheaper than current methods, although a large
initial investment is required for the purchase of
equipment