Cereal breeding takes a walk on the wild side

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Genetics
• Crop Breeding

Background:

• Elite crop gene pools in the Triticeae tribe (wheat, barley, rye) possess limited genetic diversity.
• This lack of diversity poses challenges for sustaining crop yield and quality against environmental and biotic pressures.
• Wild relatives of cereals are a valuable, yet challenging, source of novel genetic alleles for crop improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the challenges and opportunities in utilizing wild relatives for Triticeae crop improvement.
• To discuss how advancements in gene discovery and breeding technologies can enhance germplasm utilization.
• To outline strategies for efficient and directed use of exotic germplasm in crop breeding.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical successes in cereal improvement using wild relatives.
• Discussion of current trends in gene discovery and enabling technologies for genetics and breeding.
• Analysis of factors limiting the practical exploitation of exotic germplasm.

Main Results:

• Exploitation of wild relatives has historically contributed to cereal improvement.
• Advances in gene discovery and breeding technologies are making germplasm utilization more facile.
• A better understanding of limitations is paving the way for new utilization strategies.

Conclusions:

• Wild relatives remain a crucial resource for enhancing genetic diversity in Triticeae crops.
• Technological advancements are poised to revolutionize the use of exotic germplasm.
• Directed germplasm utilization strategies are essential for future crop improvement and food security.