Bioscience Evidence 2024, Vol.14, No.5, 195-205 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 202 7 Future Directions in Wheat Hybridization 7.1 Expanding genetic resources Expanding the genetic resources available for wheat hybridization is crucial for enhancing grain yield potential and ensuring food security. More than half a million wheat genetic resources are stored in gene banks worldwide, yet their potential remains largely untapped. Recent advances in hybrid wheat technology can help unlock the hidden favorable genetic diversity within these resources. By gathering phenotypic information, researchers can make targeted choices of accessions with high value for pre-breeding, moving away from traditional allele mining towards genome-wide selection. This paradigm shift is essential for bridging the yield gap between genetic resources and elite breeding pools (Longin and Reif, 2014). Moreover, the integration of novel male sterility systems and the identification of key fertility genes, such as Ms1, can significantly enhance the efficiency of hybrid wheat breeding. The Ms1 gene, for instance, has been identified as crucial for pollen exine development and can be used for large-scale, low-cost production of male-sterile female lines necessary for hybrid seed production. This represents a key step towards developing a robust hybridization platform in wheat, enabling the exploitation of genetic resources more effectively (Tucker et al., 2017). 7.2 Integrating omics data in hybrid wheat The integration of omics data, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, holds great promise for advancing hybrid wheat breeding. These technologies provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying various stress factors and yield traits. For instance, the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS), RNA sequencing, and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing can help identify and manipulate genes associated with stress resilience and yield improvement. However, the challenge lies in the effective interpretation and integration of the vast amounts of data generated by these technologies (Alotaibi et al., 2020). Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of combining genomic data with other omics predictors to improve hybrid prediction accuracy. For example, in maize, the integration of transcriptomic data with genomic information has led to higher success rates in predicting untested hybrid combinations. This approach can be extended to wheat, where the use of downstream omics data can capture physiological epistasis and provide valuable insights for selecting superior hybrid candidates. By leveraging the power of omics technologies, researchers can enhance the efficiency of hybrid wheat breeding and achieve significant yield gains (Westhues et al., 2017). 7.3 Enhancing hybrid fertility Enhancing hybrid fertility is a critical aspect of successful hybrid wheat breeding. One of the major challenges in this area is the development of efficient sterility systems to prevent self-pollination and promote outcrossing. Recent advancements in molecular biology have led to the identification of novel male sterility systems, such as the split-gene system, which relies on the expression of a phytotoxic barnase to induce male sterility. This system allows for the growth and maintenance of male-sterile female crossing partners while ensuring full restoration of fertility in the hybrid wheat seed (Kempe et al., 2014). Additionally, the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology has enabled the rapid generation of male-sterile hexaploid wheat lines by introducing targeted mutations in the Ms1 gene. This approach has shown great potential for producing non-transgenic male-sterile lines, which are essential for commercial hybrid seed production. By overcoming the biological barriers associated with hybrid fertility, these innovative technologies pave the way for the large-scale adoption of hybrid wheat, ultimately leading to higher yields and improved food security (Okada et al., 2019). 8 Concluding Remarks Recent advancements in wheat hybridization have focused on overcoming the biological barriers that have historically impeded the development of hybrid wheat. One of the primary challenges has been the inbreeding nature of wheat, which necessitates effective methods to enforce outcrossing. Technological innovations such as
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