Crop genomics for food improvement

Genome analysis in crop species is progressing dramatically. Even crops referred to as 'orphan' until recently have their genome being sequenced. New sequencing techniques make it possible to undertake massive re-sequencing among representative crop genetic resources in order to access and exploit genetic diversity. The Centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) together host more than 600,000 accessions of some twenty food crop species (cereals, pulses, roots and tubers, banana and plantain) including traditional varieties developed through many generations of selection by farmers, as well as wild species, breeding lines and improved varieties. Besides breeding activities aimed at productivity increase for global food security, international programmes are aimed at improving tolerance to abiotic stresses as well as nutritional content, principally for Zinc, Iron and B-carotene. Integrated projects for exploiting the just-available or soon-to-come genome sequence are also developing for diverse crops such as grapevine, tomato, cocoa or coffee, with their respective specific foci on product quality. Examples selected among the above initiatives will be briefly described. (Texte intégral