Role of core collection and pre-breeding in management and use of genetic resources for designing crops under changing climate

Abstract

The success to designing new cultivars, adapted to the changed climate primarily depends on the information regarding the genetic variability available within the taxonomic gene pool of cultivated species. This needs quantification of genetic variability within manageable set of collections and information about the phylogenetic relationships between distant sources of genetic variability and the cultivated species to enable introgression of desirable gene(s) into cultivated gene pool in a usable from. The core collection approach and gene pool grouping followed by pre-breeding can play an effective role in providing access to wide range of genetic resources, bringing their desirable gene(s) into cultivated species to meet the challenges of climatic changed. The present article discusses the possible application of these approaches along with concerns and future perspective.