Tapping Diversity From the Wild: From Sampling to Implementation

The diversity observed among crop wild relatives (CWRs) and their ability to flourish in unfavorable and harsh environments have drawn the attention of plant scientists and breeders for many decades. However, it is also recognized that the benefit gained from using CWRs in breeding is a potential rose between thorns of detrimental genetic variation that is linked to the trait of interest. This paper reviews the entire process of sampling and identifying beneficial genetic variation in CWRs and the challenge of using it in breeding. The authors also discuss how technological advances in genomics, phenomics, biotechnology, and data science can improve the ability to identify beneficial genetic variation in CWRs and to exploit it in strive for higher-yielding and sustainable crops.