Germplasm Resources Exploration and Genetic Breeding of Crops

Dear Colleagues,

A continuously changing climate has negatively impacted agriculture and threatened food security worldwide. Climate change and the fast-growing human population have caused the shrinking of arable land, soil erosion, water shortages, and the loss of genetic resources in their natural locations.

Environmental changes force plant breeders to develop new and improved cultivars with better adaptability to biotic and abiotic stresses. The genetic diversity of crops, gathered and protected from extinction in genebanks worldwide, is essential for dealing with changing and more demanding environments. Breeding efforts are strongly supported by the broad exploitation of germplasm resources. However, the efficient utilization of available crop diversity in breeding programs depends on its precise and comprehensive characterization. This can be achieved through the intensive phenotyping and genotyping of genebank collections, current and historic cultivars, landraces, and breeding materials using advanced molecular, biochemical, and physiological tools and methods.

This Special Issue will focus on “Germplasm Resources Exploration and Genetic Breeding of Crops”. Contributions in the form of novel research, reviews, and communications covering all aspects of the characterization of crop genetic resources and their applications in breeding will be considered. Papers concerning genetics research and molecular breeding, including gene/QTL detection or gene functional analysis in crops, will be welcome as well.

Dr. Edyta Paczos-Grzeda
Prof. Dr. Volker Mohler
Dr. Sylwia Sowa
Guest Editors

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