Genomics can maximize the utility, diversity, and yield of resources in agriculture

The growing significance of genomics is well-recognized for the diagnoses, treatments and therapy of ultra-rare diseases. In recent years, the healthcare ecosystem has made an extraordinary leap in the knowledge of the human genome and its role in health and disease. When researchers were tentatively exploring the first reference human genome sequences, it was cost US$1 billion to produce. However, tons or thousands of genomes from a cross-section of ethnic backgrounds have been sequenced today. Genomics is now becoming a major key in grasping the promising benefits of agriculture.

Today, the world requires more food that cannot be feed by traditional farming systems. Using modern technology can significantly drive sustainable productivity and offer solutions to the ever-increasing challenges of feeding the global population.

The Promise of Agricultural Genomics

Agricultural genomics refers to the genomics application in agriculture. It has a potential role to play in accelerating the process of developing crops with promising agronomic methods. It improves productivity and sustainability in crop and livestock production. Genomics produces large amounts of data, but its success relies heavily on finding ways to use this information to improve crops.

As a rich field in agriculture, agricultural genomics has been contributing to advances in crop development for decades. Advances in genomics technology and applications have led to breakthroughs in crop improvement. From sequencing reference genomes to genotyping for genome-wide studies and genomic prediction, these breakthroughs have resulted in the best cultivars critical to modern farming, including high yield, stress tolerance and pest resistance.

Applications of Genomics in Agriculture

Crop Improvement

Genome-editing systems have been utilized in multiple plant species to characterize gene functions and improve agricultural traits. Genetically modified (GM) crops are produced by the transfer of genes or gene elements of known function into elite crop varieties. Despite the promise that GM crops hold for global food security, their use is affected by largely unsubstantiated health and environmental safety concerns.

Plant Breeding

In plant breeding, the field of genomics is growing rapidly. Combining conventional breeding techniques with genomic tools and approaches leads to a new genomics-based plant breeding. Genomics can develop more efficient plant cultivars, which are necessary, as noted by the Food and Agriculture Organization, for the new 'greener revolution' needed to feed the world's growing population while preserving natural resources.

Livestock Traits Improvement

Maintaining health is one of the biggest challenges for efficient livestock production. Using genomics can stimulate the genetic improvement of livestock traits, such as milk yield, meat quality and reproductive life.

Moreover, genomics in agriculture can help improve and design crops with enhanced resistance to factors influencing their growth such as pests, diseases, frost, floods, etc. it can also improve aquaculture, disease resistance and enhanced stress tolerance in aquatic organisms.

Besides crop improvement and livestock production, agricultural genomics can also be used for food security. Through the collection-wide sequencing and classification of established seed banks or genebanks, wherein vital agricultural species are stored and maintained in large collections organized by taxonomy and origin, are the one potential way for genomics for crop improvement and food security.