Unlocking the future of crop improvement with crop wild relatives

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) retain extensive genetic diversity lost during crop domestication, yet their translation into breeding outcomes remains constrained by fundamental quantitative-genetic and population-genetic bottlenecks. Here, we propose an integrative framework that evaluates CWR deployment through three interconnected genetic lenses: (i) the architecture of domestication bottlenecks and their consequences for allelic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and selectable genetic variation in modern breeding pools; (ii) the genetic determinants of successful allele transfer, distinguishing between loci with stable, reproducible breeding effects and those confined to proof-of-concept discovery; and (iii) the population-genetic limitations of emerging biotechnologies -- including pan-genome resolution, genome-editing precision, genomic-selection prediction accuracy, and de novo domestication scalability -- when applied to wild genetic backgrounds. By synthesizing population-genetic theory with empirical case studies across cereals, legumes, and Solanaceous crops, we identify critical translational gaps between genomic discovery and cultivar release, and outline testable genetic hypotheses to guide future CWR-based breeding. This review advances the field by shifting the discourse from technological potential to quantitative-genetic realism, providing breeders and geneticists with a mechanistic roadmap for prioritizing CWR resources.