Next-Gen Sequencing-Driven Trait Mapping for Sustainable Crop Improvement

Understanding a diverse range of biological functions depends on identifying the genetic mutations and genes that underlie phenotypic changes. Several high-throughput, novel NGS-based genetic techniques have been created and utilized in a variety of crops to hasten crop improvement. Due to the flexibility of growing and screening thousands of individuals, these techniques are extremely effective for crop plants. By using these techniques, it is now easier to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) positions or point mutations and to identify the gene variants that are functionally causal. The mapping and cloning of a desired gene have become simple, rapid and comparatively easy due to the speed and the plummeting costs of NGS-based technologies. In this context, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has clearly revolutionised the way phenotypic traits are assigned to genes. NGS-based bulk segregant analysis and their variants have been extensively utilized across a wide range of crop plants such as chickpea, rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, soybean, and cucumber for the identification and mapping of both qualitative and quantitative traits.