Legume Genomics and Genetics 2024, Vol.15, No.1, 13-22 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/lgg 18 3 Application of Genetic Markers in Molecular Breeding 3.1 Genetic marker assisted selection (MAS) Assisted Selection (MAS) is an important means in modern molecular breeding technology, which mainly uses molecular markers to assist traditional breeding. In MAS, by identifying molecular markers that are closely associated with target traits, breeders can more accurately and efficiently select plants with desired traits, thus accelerating the breeding process and improving the accuracy of breeding. Genetic markers refer to specific sites in DNA sequences that exhibit polymorphism in different individuals or populations, that is, there are sequence variations. These polymorphic sites can serve as "markers" to help scientists track specific genetic material. In breeding, genetic markers usually have a genetic linkage relationship with important agronomic traits, such as yield, disease resistance, drought resistance, etc. By analyzing the genetic markers of plants, breeders can predict their phenotypic traits, that is, they can know what traits they will show without waiting for the plant to fully grow and develop (Izquierdo et al., 2023). Legume crops, including soybeans, peas, lentils, etc., are important global food and feed crops and are of great significance for improving food security and agricultural sustainability. Many leguminous crops are susceptible to various diseases, such as soybean verticillium wilt, pea brown spot, etc. MAS can be used to identify plants carrying specific disease resistance genes, thereby effectively breeding more disease-resistant varieties. By identifying genetic markers associated with high-yielding traits via MAS, breeders can select plants that are more likely to exhibit high-yielding traits for hybridization and propagation, accelerating the development of high-yielding varieties. The quality of leguminous crops, such as protein content, oil content, etc., has a direct impact on their market value. MAS allows breeders to select for these specific quality traits and improve the overall quality of crops (Erdogmus et al., 2022). Although MAS offers great potential in leguminous crop breeding, its implementation also faces several challenges, including the need for extensive preliminary studies to identify markers associated with important traits, relatively high costs, and complex technical requirements. However, with the continuous advancement of molecular biology technology and the gradual reduction of costs, the application scope of MAS is continuously expanding, and its role in precision breeding is becoming more and more important. Genetic marker-assisted selection technology plays a key role in the molecular breeding of leguminous crops. It accelerates the breeding process and improves breeding efficiency by efficiently and accurately selecting individuals with desired traits. With the discovery of more genetic markers and the improvement of MAS technology, it is expected that greater progress will be made in increasing crop yields, improving quality, and enhancing stress resistance in the future. 3.2 Enhanced molecular breeding strategies The discovery of genetic markers has provided powerful tools for molecular breeding, especially in the improvement of leguminous crops, and the application of these markers has greatly enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of breeding strategies. Below are several ways to enhance molecular breeding strategies by utilizing genetic markers. Molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) is a method that uses genetic markers that are closely associated with important agronomic traits to guide breeding selection. Genetic markers identified through GWAS can be used to directly select individuals with desired traits without having to wait until the crop matures to evaluate its traits. This method is particularly suitable for difficult-to-measure traits such as disease resistance and stress tolerance, as well as those that are less affected by the environment. MAS not only improves the accuracy of selection, but also significantly shortens the breeding cycle. Genomic selection (GS) is a more comprehensive approach than MAS that uses genetic marker information across the entire genome to predict an individual's breeding value. Unlike MAS, GS does not rely on the association of specific genetic markers with traits, but rather considers the cumulative effect of all markers. This method is
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