Molecular breakthroughs in modern plant breeding techniques

What is it about?

The article "Molecular Breakthroughs in Modern Plant Breeding Techniques" deals with molecular tools that are changing the techniques of plant breeding to overcome the global food security and climatic challenges. It indicates the transition from traditional, phenotype-based selection to higher genotypic methods of breeding.

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Why is it important?

Traditional breeding methods, although foundational, are slow and inefficient. Therefore, adoption of advanced molecular breeding techniques is needed to efficiently develop high-yield and tolerant crops to biotic and abiotic stresses. Molecular breeding has benefitted significantly from progresses in DNA sequencing, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS). It has enabled scientists to obtain detailed genomic data, identify genetic variations, and construct genome assemblies that reinforce trait improvement in crops. The analyses of these genomic information have shifted plant breeding from relying on observable traits (phenotypes) to precise identification of genes and markers responsible for desirable traits, accelerating the breeding cycle. Different approaches such as CRISPR/Cas9 technology for accurate genome editing, Cisgenesis to introduce genes from the same species, Haploid induction to rapidly develop homozygous lines, and De novo domestication to transform wild species into crops enhance precision, speed, and efficiency of using the genomic information in breeding of crops. Moreover, the technique of Speed breeding that involves growing crops under controlled conditions to produce multiple generations per year, when integrated with genomic-assisted breeding and gene editing, significantly reduces the time needed to develop new cultivars.

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