Xuanjun Fang^1,2

1 Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources (HITAR), Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
2 Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 3   doi: 10.5376/ijh.2024.14.0012
Received: 03 Dec., 2023    Accepted: 10 Jan., 2024    Published: 01 May, 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Fang X.J., 2024, Harnessing genetic populations in plant breeding: innovative strategies for construction and application, International Journal of Horticulture, 14(3): 110-116 (doi: 10.5376/ijh.2024.14.0012)

This paper explores innovative strategies for utilizing genetic populations in plant breeding to enhance crop performance and adaptability. We review the foundational concepts of population and quantitative genetics in the context of modern breeding techniques and discuss the application of evolutionary plant breeding for developing resilient crop varieties suited to changing environmental conditions. The integration of advanced genetic tools, such as whole-genome strategies and marker-assisted selection, is emphasized for its role in improving breeding efficiency. Additionally, we explore the emerging role of plant microbiomes in breeding, highlighting how symbiotic relationships enhance plant fitness and genetic diversity. The paper also addresses the importance of conserving genetic diversity during breeding processes and presents case studies that demonstrate the successful application of these strategies worldwide. The potential of these approaches to significantly impact global agriculture, particularly in enhancing food security and sustainability, is discussed. We advocate for the integration of these innovative genetic tools with conventional breeding practices to meet global food demands.

Plant breeding; Genetic populations; Evolutionary plant breeding; Marker-assisted selection; Multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) populations; Plant microbiomes