Research Progress on the Regulation of Important Agronomic Traits in Crops by Non-coding Genetic Resources

In traditional crop genetics research, protein-coding genes have always been the primary focus. However, recent scientific advances have revealed the critical role of non-coding genetic resources in regulating key agronomic traits such as crop yield, quality, and resistance. These non-coding genetic resources include regulatory non-coding RNAs, constitutive non-coding RNAs, non-coding regions of genes, nucleic acid aptamers, and small peptides derived from non-coding sequences. They play crucial roles in gene expression regulation, cellular metabolism, genome stability, and biotechnological applications. The rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, and functional genomics has provided technical support for the systematic discovery and functional study of these non-coding genetic resources. In the field of crop breeding, the precise regulatory features of non-coding genetic elements offer new strategies for improving agronomic traits, surpassing the limitations of traditional protein-coding gene research. These studies not only reveal the diverse functions and refined regulatory mechanisms of non-coding sequences in controlling complex crop traits but also demonstrate immense application potential. This paper comprehensively reviews the progress in research on non-coding genetic resources in regulating agronomic traits, systematically categorizing these elements and examining their origins and evolutionary background. It discusses in detail the regulatory mechanisms and networks through which these non-coding elements influence critical agronomic traits in crops. Finally, the article explores the potential applications of non-coding genetic resources in crop breeding and presents future directions for their development in genetic improvement. By systematically summarizing current research findings, this review aims to provide a solid theoretical foundation for future studies and promote the innovative application of non-coding genetic resources in crop genetic improvement.