Exploring Plant Genetic Variations with Morphometric and Molecular Markers

Abstract

For centuries, crop improvement has served as the basis of food security of ever increasing human population. Though vast germplasm collections are available; their exploitation for crop improvement still depends upon efficient assessment of genetic diversity. Genetic variability is the key element in adaptation of plants to varying climates. While crops with narrow genetic diversity are vulnerable to stresses. The estimation of extent and pattern of genetic variability is a prerequisite for generating superior varieties. Genetic diversity analysis generates key information to dissect genetic variations in crop germplasm with the help of morphometrical, biochemical and molecular tools. Among these, DNA markers provide a reliable and detailed insight into the similarities and differences among crops. In this chapter, we discuss the applications of phenotypic and molecular markers to probe genetic divergence in crops and present case studies that describe the significance of these tools to characterize sorghum germplasm. Furthermore, we spotlight sorghum biodiversity exploration efforts worldwide and propose future directions.

High yielding mulberry production through controlled pollination for enhanced vegetative growth and early sprouting suitable for tropical agroclimatic regions

“…Parents with desirable qualities are chosen, and controlled hybridization is carried out, based on statistical analysis. The mature fruits of a controlled and natural hybridization of chosen mother plants are harvested to obtain the seeds (Sadia et al, 2021) [21] . In progeny row trials (PRT), seedlings are nurtured in nurseries before being transferred to the field to be tested for growth, branching, leaf texture, and disease susceptibility.…”

Green revolution to genome revolution: driving better resilient crops against environmental instability

“…From the Green Revolution of the mid-20th century, which aimed to increase crop yields through the use of high-yield varieties to the more recent Genome Revolution, which is leveraging the latest in genomic and biotechnological tools to create crops that are more resilient to environmental instability, the field of plant breeding has been constantly evolving. Over the years, plant breeders and farmers have long been exploiting natural variations to develop and improve crop cultivars ( Sadia et al, 2021 ). However, overexploitation of any practice facilitates disturbances in the balanced ecosystem.…”