Back into the wild-Apply untapped genetic diversity of wild relatives for crop improvement.

ABSTRACT: Deleterious effects of climate change and human activities, as well as diverse environmental stresses, present critical challenges to food production and the maintenance of natural diversity. These challenges may be met by the development of novel crop varieties with increased biotic or abiotic resistance that enables them to thrive in marginal lands. However, considering the diverse interactions between crops and environmental factors, it is surprising that evolutionary principles have been underexploited in addressing these food and environmental challenges. Compared with domesticated cultivars, crop wild relatives (CWRs) have been challenged in natural environments for thousands of years and maintain a much higher level of genetic diversity. In this review, we highlight the significance

SUBMITTER: Zhang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5192947 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature