Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 54-62 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/tgg 60 7 Future Perspectives and Research Directions 7.1 Toward a more inclusive and scalable wheat pangenome A considerable number of wheat genomes have been identified so far, but compared with the overall picture, they are still just the tip of the iceberg. It is unrealistic to rely solely on a few major cultivated varieties to represent all genetic diversity. The future pan-genome must be "expanded"-cultivated species should be included, local varieties should be added, and wild relatives should not be left out. Anything that can supplement information should be included. However, this matter is not easy. The amount of data gradually accumulated and eventually turned into a huge and structurally complex problem. The management of a single genome is easy to solve, but when dozens of them are put together, it is easy to get out of control. To support subsequent analysis, it is necessary to have an extensible data architecture and a graph-based expression method (Petereit et al., 2022). There is another often overlooked aspect-some teams only focus on the current data and fail to incorporate the new assembly results in a timely manner. Over time, resources become "outdated". For the pan-genome to remain usable and worthwhile, the update mechanism must keep up with the pace. 7.2 Integrating multi-omics for functional insights Having a gene sequence does not mean understanding the story of genes. Whether it expresses itself, when it expresses it, and in which organization it expresses it, all these will be revealed by other "omics" information. Transcriptome, epigenome and proteome data are best viewed together. Some traits may look similar, but their regulatory mechanisms may be completely different. Multi-omics integration can bring out such differences and also identify the key regulatory loci that control traits (Badet et al., 2019). Especially when it comes to complex traits or the interplay of genes and the environment, it is much more reliable than a single omics. Moreover, its value lies not only in explaining existing traits but also in accelerating the discovery and verification of new traits. No matter how perfect the pan-genome is, if it is disconnected from functional information, its help to breeding will also be discounted. 7.3 Ethical, technical, and policy considerations However, no matter how much data there is, the question of who can use it and how can it be used cannot be ignored. With the expansion of wheat pan-genome resources, ethical and policy discussions have also been put on the agenda (Hossain et al., 2021). Not all countries have equal access to resources, and not all places that provide germplasm can truly benefit. Furthermore, technical issues cannot be relaxed. Confusion in formats, incompatible tools, and complex platform operations-once these issues accumulate, data can become a burden that is "visible but unusable." The biggest fear for researchers and breeders is having too much data and not knowing where to start. Therefore, relying solely on a database is not enough; clear regulations and collaborative mechanisms are also necessary. Whether for global sharing or local application, the rules must be clear. Otherwise, no matter how much data there is, it will be difficult to truly serve the goals of food security and sustainable agricultural development. 8 Concluding Remarks There are significant differences among wheat varieties, a point that has actually been mentioned long ago. But for many years, research has always relied on that one reference genome, and many details have thus been "covered up". It was not until the pan-genome was truly established that it was as if the veil covering the picture had been lifted, revealing its complete genetic appearance. These differences are not merely the variations of a few genes. Some people may find that certain genes have simply disappeared in some varieties, while others have undergone structural changes. Among such variations, those related to disease resistance, stress tolerance or quality are not uncommon. The value of the pan-genome lies in its ability to bring out such deeply hidden differences, rather than merely focusing on a "standard answer" as in the traditional approach. Of course, it's one thing for science to look good, but it's another for breeding to be practical. Those genes from local varieties or wild materials are often the key to breaking through the bottleneck. Using them for breeding can make wheat more resilient in the face of drought, high temperatures and pests and diseases. Especially when the
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