QTLomics Approach for Improvement of Finger Millet
摘要
Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is a cereal crop with a hardy, drought-resistant behavior which has the highest nutritional and ecological value. Nevertheless, its productivity is often hampered by various environmental stresses such as water scarcity, poor soil quality, and pest infestation. Generally, breeding techniques have not been efficient in the improvement of complex traits such as yield, resistance to diseases, and nutrient content. The advent of quantitative trait locus (QTLs) mapping and genomics-based applications would pave the path for better-precise crop improvement approaches. This chapter discusses the QTLomics approach to the improvement of finger millet in terms of the identification, mapping, and functional analysis of QTLs linked with important agronomic traits. It outlines recent advances in high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics tools, and marker-assisted selection (MAS), which are enabling fine-mapping of QTLs and identification of candidate genes responsible for critically important traits. The chapter embraces how QTLomics relates with cutting-edge breeding technology to accelerate the pace for developing better finger millet varieties—more resilient, higher yielding, and nutritionally enhanced. QTLomics’ promise in ensuring genetic gain for finger millet breeding is explored, emphasizing its application in climate-smart agriculture and food security.