Translational research from models to crops: comparative genomics for plant breeding

The concept of translational research, which originated in the medical field in the 1980s, consists in improving the efficient transfer of research results obtained in a species (which can be considered as a model or pivot) to all the species for which these results are of interest for its improvement in Agriculture. In this context, comparative genomics is an important tool for translational research, effectively identifying genes controlling common functions between species. Editing and phenotyping tools must thus allow the functional validation of the gene conserved within the species for which the knowledge has been extrapolated, that is to say transferred, and the identification of the best alleles and associated genotypes for exploitation in current breeding programs.