Xiaoxi Zhou ¹ , Shengyu Chen ²

1 Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang College, Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China 2 Modern Agricultural Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Legume Genomics and Genetics, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 2   doi: 10.5376/lgg.2024.15.0007
Received: 05 Mar., 2024    Accepted: 06 Apr., 2024    Published: 16 Apr., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Zhou X.X., and Chen S.Y., 2024, Genomic insights into the domestication of major legume crops, Legume Genomics and Genetics, 15(2): 49-61 (doi: 10.5376/lgg.2024.15.0007)

The domestication of major legume crops has been a pivotal process in the development of agriculture, providing essential nutrients and improving soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. This study synthesizes current genomic insights into the domestication and improvement of legume crops, highlighting the significant advancements made possible by modern genomic technologies. The study discusses the co-evolutionary process of domestication, the genetic bottlenecks encountered, and the role of wild relatives as reservoirs of genetic diversity for crop improvement. It also explores the impact of climate change on legume cultivation and the potential of genomic approaches to enhance stress tolerance and disease resistance. Furthermore, the study examines the contributions of genomic tools in understanding the molecular basis of agronomically important traits and the development of superior legume varieties through sequence-based breeding. By integrating genomic data with phenotyping and agronomic practices, this study provides a comprehensive perspective on the future directions for legume crop improvement, aiming to increase yield, quality, and resilience in the face of environmental challenges.

Legume domestication; Genomic technologies; Crop improvement; Stress tolerance; Disease resistance