Genetic Research and Breeding of Triticeae Crops

Dear Colleagues,

The improvement and cultivation of Triticeae crops, which comprise major cereals such as wheat, barley and rye, have a significant and extensive history dating back thousands of years. Their cultivation is closely linked to the development of human civilization and the establishment of agriculture. Today, they play a crucial role in global food and feed systems. Modern breeding programs for wheat, barley, and rye aim to balance various traits to fulfill the diverse requirements of farmers, processors, and consumers. The integration of traditional and modern breeding techniques, along with a focus on particular agronomic, quality, and environmental traits, contributes to the advancement of improved cultivars that address the challenges of modern agriculture. Genetic studies form the foundation of present-day Triticeae crop breeding programs, employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates genomics, transcriptomics, and advanced breeding technologies to accelerate the development of new cultivars to meet global agricultural challenges, including increased yield, stress tolerance and resistance to changing environments.

This Special Issue provides a thorough platform for scholars and breeders to exhibit their latest advances, novel ideas, and perceptions pertaining to the genetics and breeding of Triticeae crops.

• Genomic Approaches: Using high-throughput genotyping and sequencing technologies for various purposes such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genomic selection, comparative genomics, and evolutionary studies.
• Functional genomics: Functional characterization of genes related to agronomic traits through gene expression and transcriptomics, and identifying key regulatory elements that influence crop traits.
• Breeding strategies for resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses: Development of novel cultivars with improved tolerance to drought, heat and salinity. Breeding for pest and disease resistance and integration of multiple stress resistance traits into a single cultivar.
• Genetic enhancement for improved nutritional value: Breeding for improved processing and end-use qualities, and developing new cultivars with superior sensory attributes.
• Climate-resilient varieties: Breeding strategies to adapt Triticeae crops to changing climatic conditions by identifying climate-resilient genetic resources and integrating molecular tools into breeding for climate resilience.

Researchers are encouraged to contribute original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the genetic research and breeding of Triticeae crops.

Dr. Maja Boczkowska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• wheat
• barley
• rye
• crop wild relatives
• genomics
• transcriptomics
• diseases resistance
• abiotic stresses tolerance
• drought
• temperature
• salinity
• gene editing
• functional genomics
• GWAS
• genomic selection