Integrating genomic and phenomic approaches to support plant genetic resources conservation and use

Authors: Volk, Gayle; BYRNE, PATRICK - Retired Non ARS Employee; Coyne, Clarice - Clare; Flint-Garcia, Sherry; Reeves, Patrick; Richards, Christopher

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2021
Publication Date: 10/22/2021
Citation: Volk, G.M., Byrne, P.F., Coyne, C.J., Flint Garcia, S.A., Reeves, P.A., Richards, C.M. 2021. Integrating genomic and phenomic approaches to support plant genetic resources conservation and use. Plants. 10(11). Article e2260. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112260.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112260

Interpretive Summary: Plant genebanks provide genetic resources for breeding and research programs worldwide. These programs benefit from having access to high quality, standardized phenotypic and genotypic data. Technological advances have made it possible to collect phenomic and genomic data for genebank collections, which, with the appropriate analytical tools, can directly inform breeding programs. We discuss the importance of considering genebank accession homogeneity and heterogeneity in data collection and documentation. Citing specific examples, we describe how well-documented genomic and phenomic data have met or could meet the needs of plant genetic resource managers and users. We explore future opportunities that may emerge from improved documentation and data integration among plant genetic resource information systems.

Technical Abstract: Genebanks contain collections of most crop species and their wild relatives, which are used for crop improvement and other research purposes, as well as to safeguard novel varieties for the future. Efficient use and maintenance of genebanks relies on a range of information types, which vary widely in quantity and quality both within and between crop species. For example, in some species, researchers have characterized varieties in detail at the DNA level, while other species have no associated genetic information. Some species have been thoroughly evaluated for growth and productivity characteristics, while other species have not. For some species, all plants or seeds within a sample are uniform, while other species have samples where every plant or seed is unique. This complicates information management. Describing and understanding the complexity of information in genebanks from a stakeholder/user perspective, as well as from the collection management perspective, can help make genebank collections more valuable for all.