Utilization of Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) for Rice Pre-Breeding and Improvement: A Review

Molecular markers play a crucial role in the improvement of rice. To benefit from these markers, genotyping is carried out to identify the differences at a specific position in the genome of individuals. The advances in sequencing technologies have led to the development of different genotyping techniques such as genotyping-by-sequencing. Unlike PCR-fragment-based genotyping, genotyping-by-sequencing has enabled the parallel sequencing and genotyping of hundreds of samples in a single run, making it more cost-effective. Currently, GBS is being used in several pre-breeding programs of rice to identify beneficial genes and QTL from different rice genetic resources. In this review, we present the current advances in the utilization of genotyping-by-sequencing for the development of rice pre-breeding materials and the improvement of existing rice cultivars. The challenges and perspectives of using this approach are also highlighted.

Automated summary

Molecular markers are crucial in rice improvement, and genotyping-by-sequencing has enabled high-throughput sequencing and genotyping, making it more efficient and cost-effective for the utilization of rice genetic resources. Currently, genotyping-by-sequencing is being used in rice pre-breeding programs to discover beneficial genes and QTL, leading to advancements in rice cultivar improvement.