CRISPR-Based Genome Editing Tools: An Accelerator in Crop Breeding for a Changing Future.

Genome editing is an important strategy to maintain global food security and achieve sustainable agricultural development. Among all genome editing tools, CRISPR-Cas is currently the most prevalent and offers the most promise. In this review, we summarize the development of CRISPR-Cas systems, outline their classification and distinctive features, delineate their natural mechanisms in plant genome editing and exemplify the applications in plant research.

Mining of Cloned Disease Resistance Gene Homologs (CDRHs) in Species and .

Various diseases severely affect crops, leading to significant global yield losses and a reduction in crop quality. In this study, we used the complete protein sequences of 49 cloned resistance genes ( genes) that confer resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases known to impact species in the Brassicaceae family. Homology searches were carried out across and genomes.

Advancing designer crops for climate resilience through an integrated genomics approach.

Climate change and exponential population growth are exposing an immediate need for developing future crops that are highly resilient and adaptable to changing environments to maintain global food security in the next decade. Rigorous selection from long domestication history has rendered cultivated crops genetically disadvantaged, raising concerns in their ability to adapt to these new challenges and limiting their usefulness in breeding programmes. As a result, future crop improvement efforts must rely on integrating various genomic strategies ranging from high-throughput sequencing to machine learning, in order to exploit germplasm diversity and overcome bottlenecks created by domestication, expansive multi-dimensional phenotypes, arduous breeding processes, complex traits and big data.

Quantitative Trait Loci for Heat Stress Tolerance in L. Are Distributed across the Genome and Occur in Diverse Genetic Groups, Flowering Phenologies and Morphotypes.

Heat stress events during flowering in crops reduce grain yield and are expected to increase in frequency due to global climate change. We evaluated heat stress tolerance and molecular genetic diversity in a global collection of accessions, including leafy, rooty and oilseed morphotypes with spring, winter and semi-winter flowering phenology. Tolerance to transient daily heat stress during the early reproductive stage was assessed on 142 lines in a controlled environment.

The details are in the genome-wide SNPs: Fine scale evolution of the Malaysian weedy rice.

Weedy rice (Oryza spp.) is a major nuisance to rice farmers from all over the world. Although the emergence of weedy rice in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo is very recent, the threat to rice yield has reached an alarming stage.

Understanding Host-Pathogen Interactions in in the Omics Era.

(canola/oilseed rape/rapeseed) is an economically important crop, mostly found in temperate and sub-tropical regions, that is cultivated widely for its edible oil. Major diseases of crops such as Blackleg, Clubroot, Sclerotinia Stem Rot, Downy Mildew, Alternaria Leaf Spot and White Rust have caused significant yield and economic losses in rapeseed-producing countries worldwide, exacerbated by global climate change, and, if not remedied effectively, will threaten global food security. To gain further insights into the host-pathogen interactions in relation to diseases, it is critical that we review current knowledge in this area and discuss how omics technologies can offer promising results and help to push boundaries in our understanding of the resistance mechanisms.

The Use of Genetic and Gene Technologies in Shaping Modern Rapeseed Cultivars ( L.).

Since their domestication, Brassica oilseed species have undergone progressive transformation allied with the development of breeding and molecular technologies. The canola () crop has rapidly expanded globally in the last 30 years with intensive innovations in canola varieties, providing for a wider range of markets apart from the food industry. The breeding efforts of , the main source of canola oil and canola meal, have been mainly focused on improving seed yield, oil quality, and meal quality along with disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, and herbicide resistance.

Resistance Gene Analogs in the Brassicaceae: Identification, Characterization, Distribution, and Evolution.

The Brassicaceae consists of a wide range of species, including important crop species and the model plant Arabidopsis (). spp. crop diseases impose significant yield losses annually.

Genotyping for Species Identification and Diversity Assessment Using Double-Digest Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing (ddRAD-Seq).

Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) is a powerful approach for studying the genetic diversity of legume species. By using restriction enzymes or other methods to generate a reduced representation of the genome for sequencing, GBS can provide genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) for diversity analysis at high throughput and low cost. Here we describe a novel double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) approach.

When West Meets East: The Origins and Spread of Weedy Rice Between Continental and Island Southeast Asia.

Weedy crop relatives are among the world's most problematic agricultural weeds, and their ability to rapidly evolve can be enhanced by gene flow from both domesticated crop varieties and wild crop progenitor species. In this study, we examined the role of modern commercial crop cultivars, traditional landraces, and wild relatives in the recent emergence and proliferation of weedy rice in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. This region of Malaysia is separated from the Asian continent by the South China Sea, and weedy rice has become a major problem there more recently than on the Malaysian peninsular mainland.

Current Status and Challenges in Identifying Disease Resistance Genes in .

is an economically important crop across different continents including temperate and subtropical regions in Europe, Canada, South Asia, China and Australia. Its widespread cultivation also brings setbacks as it plays host to fungal, oomycete and chytrid pathogens that can lead to serious yield loss. For sustainable crop production, identification of resistance () genes in has become of critical importance.