Turning plant mutation breeding into a new era: molecular mutation breeding.

Advances in molecular genetics and DNA technologies have brought plant breeding, including mutation breeding, into a molecular era. With ever-increasing knowledge of molecular genetics and genomics and rapidly emerging molecular techniques, breeders can now use mutation techniques in breeding new varieties more wisely and efficiently than ever before. Plant molecular mutation breeding is here defined as mutation breeding, in which molecular or genomic information and tools are used in the development of breeding strategies, screening, selection and verification of induced mutants, and in the utilization of mutated genes in the breeding process. It is built upon the science of DNA damage, repair and mutagenesis, plant molecular genetics and genomics of important agronomic traits as well as induced mutations. Mutagenic treatment, super-mutable genetic lines, molecular markers and high throughput DNA technologies for mutation screening such as TILLING (Targeting Induced Limited Lesions IN Genomes), are the key techniques and resources in molecular mutation breeding. Molecular mutation breeding will significantly increase both the efficiency and efficacy of mutation techniques in crop breeding. A perspective molecular mutation breeding scheme is proposed for discussion.