Topics to Link Genotype to Phenotype at the Genome Level for Improving Genetic Gain

Year after year, the cost of generating quality sequencing data continues to decrease, while the cost associated with a unit of improvement in genetic gain continues to increase. One might suspect that generating more sequencing data could help lower the cost associated with improving genetic gain; however, it is our ability to link a genotype with a phenotype that is crucial. When looking at plants at the genome or nucleotide level, the question we still want to answer has not changed; how can we link a genotype with a phenotype?

There are different topics that one can address to enable us to continue maintaining or even increase the rate of genetic gains we are currently seeing. Whether it is 1) dissecting and understanding genotype by environment interactions, 2) increasing our understanding of heterosis, or 3) finding the missing heritability, our ability to understand plants at the genome level is only as good as our ability to link the sequencing data back to a phenotype. That link is important for further integrating genomic selection into different aspects of genetic improvement in crops.