Feeding the Future with Genomics
“Food is the foundation of life”. As global populations rise and consumer expectations for quality food increase, traditional breeding methods alone can no longer meet demand. To ensure food security and strengthen agricultural competitiveness, breeders need faster, more precise ways to identify superior genetic traits and optimize breeding programs.
With the rapid advancement of genomics, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has become a cornerstone of modern breeding—delivering high-throughput, cost-effective, and accurate genetic insights that drive smarter selection and sustainable growth.
Figure 1. Breeding in agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries
What is Biological Breeding?
Biological breeding applies genetics, molecular biology, and gene engineering technologies to reshape and optimize the genetic material of organisms. The goal: to cultivate new varieties with desirable traits such as higher yield, disease resistance, environmental adaptability, and improved quality.
Table 1. Key Methods in Biological Breeding
|
Breeding Method |
Principle |
Applications |
|
Hybrid Breeding |
Crosses between selected parent lines to combine desirable traits |
Crop yield improvement, livestock performance |
|
Mutation Breeding |
Use of chemical, radiation, or targeted mutagenesis to create beneficial variations |
Stress resistance, new trait discovery |
|
Polyploid Breeding |
Chromosome doubling to enhance vigor and adaptability |
Horticulture, grain crops |
|
Cell Engineering Breeding |
Protoplast fusion, tissue culture, haploid techniques |
Accelerates trait introgression |
|
Gene Engineering Breeding |
Genome editing, transgenics, molecular marker-assisted selection |
Precision trait design, disease resistance |
From Ancient Practices to Precision Genomics
Breeding has evolved dramatically through history:
Early era: Farmers relied on observation and experience to select superior crops—a natural selection approach.
Hybrid revolution: The discovery of hybrid breeding enabled intentional crossing for higher yield and disease resistance.
20th-century innovations: Mutation breeding, polyploidy, and cell engineering accelerated improvements.
Modern era: With gene editing and NGS, breeders can now decode the genome and design improvements at the DNA level, ushering in a new era of precision and sustainable breeding.
Figure 2. The evolution of breeding eras
The Value of NGS in Agriculture & Livestock Breeding
NGS enables researchers to unlock the full genetic blueprint of crops and livestock, providing unprecedented opportunities for efficient selection. Compared with traditional breeding, NGS dramatically increases precision, speed, and reliability, helping agriculture move toward smart and sustainable practices.
Table 2. Applications of NGS in Breeding
|
Field |
NGS Application |
Benefits |
|
Crop Breeding |
Whole-genome sequencing, GWAS, marker-assisted selection |
Faster identification of high-yield and stress-resistant genes; shortened breeding cycles |
|
Livestock Breeding |
Whole-genome resequencing, SNP genotyping, transcriptome analysis |
Identify genetic markers of productivity, reduce inherited diseases, improve meat/milk quality |
|
Molecular Breeding |
Genomic selection, RNA-seq |
Understand gene expression networks, accelerate targeted improvements |
Yeasen NGS Library Prep Solutions for Agricultural Breeding
DNA Library Prep Solutions
As a core reagent supplier in NGS, Yeasen Biotech provides high-performance DNA library prep kits designed for complex agricultural samples-Hieff NGS™ OnePot Pro DNA Library Prep Kit V4 (Enzymatic).
- High compatibility: Efficiently processes diverse sample types.
- Superior consistency: Ensures uniform, stable libraries.
- Optimized workflow: Simplifies preparation and increases success rate.
- Reliable performance: Delivers high-quality libraries for downstream sequencing.
These solutions empower breeders to unlock genome-wide insights and accelerate the identification of superior varieties.
RNA Library Prep Solutions
Transcriptome analysis is equally vital in breeding—revealing gene expression networks that regulate growth, resistance, and productivity.
Yeasen offers plate-based RNA library prep kits, purpose-built for high-throughput and automated workflows-Hieff NGS™ EvoMax RNA Library Prep Kit .
- Automation-ready: Streamlined for liquid handling systems.
- High efficiency & stability: Robust performance across multiple sample types.
- Reproducibility: Consistent results that improve confidence in gene expression analysis.
With Yeasen RNA solutions, researchers can efficiently explore the molecular drivers of desirable traits, accelerating precision breeding.
Related Products
|
Category |
Name |
Cat. No. |
Size |
|
DNA lib prep kit |
12972ES |
24T /96 T |
|
|
12927ES |
24T /96 T |
||
|
RNA lib prep kit |
12340ES |
24T /96 T |
|
|
12341ES |
24T /96 T |
||
|
12254ES |
24T /96 T |
||
|
Beads |
12601ES03/08/56 |
1 mL/5 mL/60 mL |
|
|
12602ES03/08/56 |
1 mL/5 mL/60 mL |
||
|
Adapter |
Hieff NGS™ Stubby UDI Primer Kit for Illumina, PE adapter plus, Set1-Set4(384 index) |
13327-12330ES01/02 |
96×1 T/96×2 T |
|
Hieff NGS™ Unique Dual Barcode Primer Kit for MGI™, Set1-Set4(384 index) |
13350-13353ES01/02 |
96×1 T/96×2 T |
|
|
Library Quantitation |
12642ES60/76 |
100 T/500 T |
|
|
12645ES60/76 |