Old problems, new tools - Integrated approach to oil crop breeding

Abstract

Oil crop breeding and selection is a continual process designed to increase yield levels and improve resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Breeders have been successful in producing a large number of varieties using conventional breeding methods which vary depending on the species. Development of biotechnology, notably genetic transformations, and appearance of new techniques such as genome editing, paved the way for more efficient trait introduction. The last three decades have also seen tremendous advances in the evolution of marker systems and the respective detection platforms. The most common application of these marker systems in oil crop breeding is marker assisted backcross breeding for gene introgression, as well as mapping of agronomically important traits. Novel approaches in genotyping and phenotyping enabled more efficient data collection for identification of quantitative characters and elucidation of the genetic basis of agriculturally important traits. Old and new tools found their place in oil crop breeding. However, there is still room for improvement, especially in data collection and integration. That is why further efforts should be made at better combining of phenotypic and -omics data and their integration into the breeding process and identification of traits and markers of real practical value for the breeders.