Genomic prediction unifies animal and plant breeding programs to form platforms for biological discovery
Genomic prediction of breeding values could improve selection, reduce costs and provide a platform that unifies breeding approaches
Abstract
The rate of annual yield increases for major staple crops must more than double relative to current levels in order to feed a predicted global population of 9 billion by 2050. Controlled hybridization and selective breeding have been used for centuries to adapt plant and animal species for human use. However, achieving higher, sustainable rates of improvement in yields in various species will require renewed genetic interventions and dramatic improvement of agricultural practices. Genomic prediction of breeding values has the potential to improve selection, reduce costs and provide a platform that unifies breeding approaches, biological discovery, and tools and methods. Here the authors compare and contrast some animal and plant breeding approaches to make a case for bringing the two together through the application of genomic selection.
This work is part of the “Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project” which is supported by the UK Department for International Development, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Citation
John M Hickey, Tinashe Chiurugwi, Ian Mackay, Wayne Powell. Genomic prediction unifies animal and plant breeding programs to form platforms for biological discovery. Nature Genetics volume 49, pages 1297–1303 (2017)