As expected, sequencing of chromosomal regions would have led to too
much data to store, characterize, and utilize with the-then available computer
software could handle. But the development of information technology made
the life of biologists easier by leading to a swift and sweet marriage of
biology and informatics, and a new subject was born—bioinformatics.
Thus, the evolution of the concepts, strategies, and tools of sequencing
and bioinformatics reinforced the subject of genomics—structural and
functional. Today, genome sequencing has traveled much beyond biology
and involves biophysics, biochemistry, and bioinformatics!
Thanks to the efforts of both public and private agencies, genome
sequencing strategies are evolving very fast, leading to cheaper, quicker, and
automated techniques right from clone-by-clone and whole-genome shotgun
approaches to a succession of second-generation sequencing methods. The
development of software of different generations facilitated this genome
sequencing. At the same time, newer concepts and strategies were emerging
to handle sequencing of the complex genomes, particularly the polyploids.
It became a reality to chemically—and so directly—define plant genomes,
popularly called whole-genome sequencing or simply genome sequencing.
The history of plant genome sequencing will always cite the sequencing
of the genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in 2000 that was
followed by sequencing the genome of the crop and model plant rice in 2002.
Since then, the number of sequenced genomes of higher plants has been
increasing exponentially, mainly due to the development of cheaper and
quicker genomic techniques and, most importantly, the development of
collaborative platforms such as national and international consortia involving
partners from public and/or private agencies.
As I write this preface for the first volume of the new series “Compendium
of Plant Genomes,” a net search tells me that complete or nearly complete
whole-genome sequencing of 45 crop plants, eight crop and model plants,
eight model plants, 15 crop progenitors and relatives, and three basal plants is
accomplished, the majority of which are in the public domain. This means
that we nowadays know many of our model and crop plants chemically, i.e.,
directly, and we may depict them and utilize them precisely better than ever.
Genome sequencing has covered all groups of crop plants. Hence, information on the precise depiction of plant genomes and the scope of their
utilization are growing rapidly every day. However, the information is
scattered in research articles and review papers in journals and dedicated
Web pages of the consortia and databases. There is no compilation of plant
genomes and the opportunity of using the information in sequence-assisted
breeding or further genomic studies. This is the underlying rationale for
starting this book series, with each volume dedicated to a particular plant.
Plant genome science has emerged as an important subject in academia,
and the present compendium of plant genomes will be highly useful to both
students and teaching faculties. Most importantly, research scientists
involved in genomics research will have access to systematic deliberations on
the plant genomes of their interest. Elucidation of plant genomes is of interest
not only for the geneticists and breeders, but also for practitioners of an array
of plant science disciplines, such as taxonomy, evolution, cytology,
viii
Preface to the Series
much data to store, characterize, and utilize with the-then available computer
software could handle. But the development of information technology made
the life of biologists easier by leading to a swift and sweet marriage of
biology and informatics, and a new subject was born—bioinformatics.
Thus, the evolution of the concepts, strategies, and tools of sequencing
and bioinformatics reinforced the subject of genomics—structural and
functional. Today, genome sequencing has traveled much beyond biology
and involves biophysics, biochemistry, and bioinformatics!
Thanks to the efforts of both public and private agencies, genome
sequencing strategies are evolving very fast, leading to cheaper, quicker, and
automated techniques right from clone-by-clone and whole-genome shotgun
approaches to a succession of second-generation sequencing methods. The
development of software of different generations facilitated this genome
sequencing. At the same time, newer concepts and strategies were emerging
to handle sequencing of the complex genomes, particularly the polyploids.
It became a reality to chemically—and so directly—define plant genomes,
popularly called whole-genome sequencing or simply genome sequencing.
The history of plant genome sequencing will always cite the sequencing
of the genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in 2000 that was
followed by sequencing the genome of the crop and model plant rice in 2002.
Since then, the number of sequenced genomes of higher plants has been
increasing exponentially, mainly due to the development of cheaper and
quicker genomic techniques and, most importantly, the development of
collaborative platforms such as national and international consortia involving
partners from public and/or private agencies.
As I write this preface for the first volume of the new series “Compendium
of Plant Genomes,” a net search tells me that complete or nearly complete
whole-genome sequencing of 45 crop plants, eight crop and model plants,
eight model plants, 15 crop progenitors and relatives, and three basal plants is
accomplished, the majority of which are in the public domain. This means
that we nowadays know many of our model and crop plants chemically, i.e.,
directly, and we may depict them and utilize them precisely better than ever.
Genome sequencing has covered all groups of crop plants. Hence, information on the precise depiction of plant genomes and the scope of their
utilization are growing rapidly every day. However, the information is
scattered in research articles and review papers in journals and dedicated
Web pages of the consortia and databases. There is no compilation of plant
genomes and the opportunity of using the information in sequence-assisted
breeding or further genomic studies. This is the underlying rationale for
starting this book series, with each volume dedicated to a particular plant.
Plant genome science has emerged as an important subject in academia,
and the present compendium of plant genomes will be highly useful to both
students and teaching faculties. Most importantly, research scientists
involved in genomics research will have access to systematic deliberations on
the plant genomes of their interest. Elucidation of plant genomes is of interest
not only for the geneticists and breeders, but also for practitioners of an array
of plant science disciplines, such as taxonomy, evolution, cytology,
viii
Preface to the Series