Molecular marker utilization in oilseed crop breeding: a review

Abstract

It has been observed that molecular markers are one of the most important tools in the advancement of oilseed crops and in developing varieties capable of withstanding drought, salinity, and high-temperature stresses. The present review focuses on the use of DNA-based molecular markers such as SSRs and SNPs in oilseed crop breeding. These markers, in addition to being able to identify and locate QTLs associated with stress tolerance, by using Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) will aid in accelerating selection. Although the oilseed crops, including canola, soybean, and sunflower, have achieved certain levels of environmental stress tolerance, their inability to overcome abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and temperature extremes further dampens growth and productivity to contribute to the existing yield gap. However, the integration of molecular markers into breeding programs saves not only genetic diversity but also contributes to the quicker release of high-yielding varieties under extreme conditions. This review, therefore, enumerates examples of successful applications and emphasizes the future research needs of using molecular markers in breeding these under-investigated oilseed crops to build more robust world food systems resilient to global warming.