Use of Barley and Wheat Reference Sequences: Downstream Applications in Breeding, Gene Isolation, GWAS and Evolution

The decoded blueprints of the barley and wheat genome open new avenues in exploring genome sequences in two important cereal crops for both applied and basic research. Barley and wheat geneticist and breeders are nowadays in a position in which users of the first sequenced model plants, rice, and Arabidopsis, had been more than fourteen years ago. Knowledge of whole barley and wheat genomes not only promotes applied breeding but also provides an extraordinary opportunity for basic biological research i.e. accelerated isolation of novel genes and rapid detection of natural variation. The availability of genome sequences will revolutionize barley and wheat genetics, accelerate identification and use of rare allelic variants in classical breeding schemes, such as marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC), marker-assisted selection (MAS) and pyramiding of genetic factors responsible for important traits. Positional isolation of genes will be among those activities having the full profit when a genome reference sequence is available. Accordingly, gene isolation will be cheaper and faster as the time from gene mapping to the identification and functional validation of candidate gene will be reduced. After sequencing of more accessions, as a result of PanGenome projects, it will be possible to do direct targeting of important gene variants and introduce them into cultivars in order to exploit the rich germplasms for breeding purposes.

In this Research Topic, we aim to present efficient use of genetics and breeding methods in harnessing genetic resources of barley and wheat that promote the rapid improvement of cultivars. This themed article collection aims to cover all aspects of the use of two reference sequences i.e. the discovery and isolation of new genes, allele-mining, development of large-scale SNP genotyping platforms, integration of metabolomic, proteomic and phenomic data and platforms in trait discovery, GWAS, genomics breeding. Manuscripts that describe characterization and use of germplasm, wild relatives introgressions and resistance genes stocks i.e. Near Isogenic Lines (NILs) and Recombinant Inbreed Lines (RILs) are welcome for submission. Furthermore, articles describing the use of these two species in studying of related Triticeae crop species will also be considered. Construction and use of PanGenomes in the identification of orphans, genotypic specific genes, and deciphering of domestication genes are also welcome.