Harnessing Wild Relatives for Crop Improvement: Genetic Resources, Breeding Strategies, and Applications in Enhancing Yield, Quality, and Resilience

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) represent a critical reservoir of genetic variation that is essential for modern crop improvement. These wild and weedy counterparts of domesticated species contribute traits like resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, enhanced nutritional quality, and greater environmental adaptability. The utilization of CWRs in plant breeding is framed by the gene pool concept, which categorizes genetic proximity into primary, secondary, and tertiary gene pools based on crossability. Despite their potential, the integration of CWRs into elite cultivars is constrained by biological barriers, linkage drag, sterility in hybrids, and complex phenotyping requirements. However, recent advances in genomics, gene editing (e.g., CRISPR/CAS9), molecular marker-assisted selection, and interspecific hybridization techniques have improved the identification and introgression of valuable traits from CWRs into cultivated crops. These innovations, coupled with data-informed germplasm management and supportive policy frameworks, offer new avenues to overcome previous limitations. The strategic use of CWRs enhances crop resilience, productivity, and sustainability in the face of climate change, evolving pest and disease pressures, and resource constraints. This review synthesizes current strategies, tools, and challenges in effectively utilizing CWRs and underscores their pivotal role in securing global food and nutritional security.