Speed Breeding in the Era of High-Throughput Omics: Recent Developments and Future Outlook

Abstract

Ensuring global food security and closing the yield gap requires innovative approaches in plant breeding. This chapter explores the evolution of breeding techniques, from conventional methods to the innovative approach of speed breeding and discusses the technologies and infrastructure requirements for implementing speed breeding. It examines the different breeding techniques that have shaped the field of plant breeding, including conventional breeding, mutation breeding, molecular breeding, and the recent emergence of speed breeding. Controlled environments, precise lighting conditions, and optimized growth protocols are essential for achieving accelerated generation turnover. Additionally, it explores the physical factors that influence plant responses to speed breeding, including light intensity, photoperiod, and temperature. It also examines the physical factors that affect plant responses to speed breeding and identifies the crops suitable for this technique. Specifically, cereal crops, oilseed crops, leguminous crops, fruit trees, and vegetables have shown promising results with speed breeding. Additionally, the chapter highlights the role of high-throughput technologies in augmenting speed breeding processes. These technologies, including genomics, phenomics, and molecular markers, enhance the efficiency and accuracy of breeding practices. Furthermore, the chapter outlines future challenges in speed breeding such as the need for standardized protocols, scalability, and access to advanced infrastructure and expertise. Overcoming these challenges will contribute to accelerating crop improvement and achieving global food security in the face of increasing population and changing environmental conditions. © 2024 CRC Press.