The crop QTLome comes of age

Recent progress in genomics and phenomics allows for a more accurate and comprehensive characterization of the Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) hereafter defined 'QTLome' as a whole that govern the variation targeted in breeding programs. High-density genotyping now provides unambiguous identification of QTL alleles, and for several traits beneficial alleles at major QTLs have already been deployed in marker-assisted breeding. However, the amount of QTLome information is enormous and approaches to distill and translate this information to breeders remain to be refined. Improved QTL meta-analyses, better estimation of QTL effects, improved crop modelling and full sharing of raw QTL data will enable a more effective exploitation of the QTLome.