Molecular breeding is the application of molecular biology tools, often in plant breeding[1][2] and animal breeding.[3][4] In the broad sense, molecular breeding can be defined as the use of genetic manipulation performed at the level of DNA to improve traits of interest in plants and animals, and it may also include genetic engineering or gene manipulation, molecular marker-assisted selection, and genomic selection.[5] More often, however, molecular breeding implies molecular marker-assisted breeding (MAB) and is defined as the application of molecular biotechnologies, specifically molecular markers, in combination with linkage maps and genomics, to alter and improve plant or animal traits on the basis of genotypic assays.[6]
The areas of molecular breeding include:
Methods in marker assisted breeding include:
Development of SNPs has revolutionized the molecular breeding process as it helps to create dense markers.[clarification needed] Another area that is developing is genotyping by sequencing.[10]
Transfer of genes makes possible the horizontal transfer of genes from one organism to another. Thus plants can receive genes from humans or algae or any other organism. This provides limitless opportunities in breeding crop plants.
Molecular breeding resources (including multiomics data) are available for:
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