Using of Genome Editing Methods in Plant Breeding

The main task of plant breeding is creating of high-yield, resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses crop varieties with high product quality. The using of traditional breeding methods is limited by the duration of the new crop varieties creation with the required agronomic traits. This depends not only on the duration of growing season and reaching of mature stage of plants (especially the long-period growth plants, e.g. trees), as well as is associated with applying of multiple stages of crossing, selection and testing in breeding process. In addition, conventional methods of chemical and physical mutagenesis do not allow targeting effect to genome. However, the introduction of modern DNA-technology methods, such as genome editing, has opened in a new era in plant breeding. These methods allow to carry out precise and efficient targeted genome modifications, significantly reducing the time required to get plants with desirable features to create new crop varieties in perspective. This review provides the knowledge about application of genome editing methods to increase crop yields and product quality, as well as crop resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In addition, future prospects for integrating these technologies into crop breeding strategies are also discussed

Cotton as a Model for Polyploidy and Fiber Development Study

Cotton is one of the most important crops in the world. The Gossypium genus is represented by 50 species, divided into two levels of ploidy: diploid (2n = 26) and tetraploid (2n = 52). This diversity of Gossypium species provides an ideal model for studying the evolution and domestication of polyploids. In this regard, studies of the origin and evolution of polyploid cotton species are crucial for understanding the ways and mechanisms of gene and genome evolution. In addition, studies of polyploidization of the cotton genome will allow to more accurately determine the localization of QTLs that determine fiber quality. In addition, due to the fact that cotton fibers are single trichomes originating from epidermal cells, they are one of the most favorable model systems for studying the molecular mechanisms of regulation of cell and cell wall elongation, as well as cellulose biosynthesis

Pair-wise comparisons of F_st values specific to each ecotype.

<p>Pair-wise comparisons of F_st values specific to each ecotype.</p

The UPGMA dendrogram of 288 <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> accessions, constructed using the genotype of 301 polymorphic SSR alleles.

<p>Horizontal lines denote thresholds of genetic distances. Groups A and B are obtained on the basis of differences in > 50%, whereas subgroups G1, G2 and G3 obtained based on the upper boundary distinctions in 40%, and the subgroups G5 and G4—the upper bound of 20%.</p

Descriptive statistics of fiber traits among <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> accessions grown in the Uzbekistan and USA environments.

<p>Descriptive statistics of fiber traits among <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> accessions grown in the Uzbekistan and USA environments.</p

ANOVA¹ results of fiber traits depending on the growth in Uzbekistan (Tashkent) and the USA (California).

<p>ANOVA<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0188125#t005fn001" target="_blank">¹</a> results of fiber traits depending on the growth in Uzbekistan (Tashkent) and the USA (California).</p

Scatter plot of significant r² values and genetic distance (cM) (p<0.001) of locus pairs on whole genome of <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> germplasm.

<p>Scatter plot of significant r² values and genetic distance (cM) (p<0.001) of locus pairs on whole genome of <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> germplasm.</p

Correlations between fiber traits of <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> cultivars in the Tashkent and California environments.

<p>Correlations between fiber traits of <i>G</i>. <i>barbadense</i> cultivars in the Tashkent and California environments.</p

Summary of SSR markers showed significant association with each of the trait studied in the Uzbekistan (UZB) and USA environments.

<p>Summary of SSR markers showed significant association with each of the trait studied in the Uzbekistan (UZB) and USA environments.</p