Genome Sequencing, a Milestone for Genomic Research and Plant Breeding

Plant breeding programs are often used to improve varieties through creating diverse agronomic traits. During a breeding program, a lot of genetic diversities are created in the genome after different generations through homologous recombination. Genome sequencing technology has revolutionized the discovery of genes and molecular markers associated with diverse agronomic traits in crop improvement programs. Genomic research is now in the peak of success, thus creating new opportunities for crop improvement modern sequencing technology is now capable of sequencing thousands to millions of bases per run. Modern sequencing technologies enable the sequencing of different cultivars with small to complex genomes at a reasonable time and cost. These massive data can be used to identify important agronomic traits of crops such as fruit color, size, ripening, flowering time adaptation, grain yield, and quality maintenance. In addition, they can be used to develop crop varieties. This mini-review is focused on the role of genome sequencing in genomic research and plant breeding for crop improvements.