Advances in Cereal Genomics and Applications in Plant Breeding

Advancements in cereal genomics, including CRISPR-Cas9, GWAS, MAS, and NGS, have transformed plant breeding by enabling precise genetic modifications that enhance disease resistance, drought tolerance, and nutrient-use efficiency. These innovations are critical in addressing food security challenges exacerbated by climate change, soil degradation, and population growth. However, barriers such as high costs, genetic complexity, regulatory restrictions, and difficulties in integrating genomic tools with traditional breeding limit their widespread adoption. Additionally, the multi-gene nature of key traits and the need for advanced bioinformatics tools pose further challenges. Future research should focus on making genomic technologies more affordable and accessible, integrating multi-omics approaches for deeper trait analysis, improving bioinformatics capabilities, and expanding gene-editing applications beyond disease resistance to traits such as grain quality, yield stability, and stress resilience. Addressing these gaps will strengthen the role of genomic innovations in ensuring sustainable and climate-resilient cereal production.