PAID ACCESS | Published on : 24-Mar-2026 | Pages: 30-45 | Doi : 10.37446/edibook152024/30-45
The increased demand for food necessitates the development of improved crop varieties at a rapid pace, which is hardly possible with conventional tools and techniques of crop breeding. Molecular breeding addresses this challenge by integration of advanced molecular tools with traditional breeding methods to accelerate breeding cycles, improve selection accuracy, and effectively target complex traits. Molecular breeding encompasses various components including marker-assisted selection, quantitative trait loci (QTL), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), gene discovery and deployment through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB), and gene pyramiding. These advancements have fundamentally transformed crop breeding ecosystems across various crops. Cutting-edge technologies, such as genomic selection and gene editing, have strengthened the breeder’s toolkit enabling precise genome modifications for the development of improved traits. Thus, molecular breeding has played a transformative role in genetic crop improvement and the development of resilient, high-yielding, and climate-smart crop varieties. Ultimately, the integration of molecular breeding strategies is pivotal in addressing the urgent challenges posed by a growing global population, climate change, and finite resources. Through these methods, agriculture is better equipped to deliver sustainable solutions for future food security.
Marker assisted selection, GWAS, Genomic Selection, Gene editing, Gene pyramiding, Susceptibility gene
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