XVI International Botanical Congess

Crop yield is a complex phenotype affected by many genes and their interactions, environmental effects, and gene-environment interactions. Improved agronomy, increased inputs, and empirical selection have contributed to global yield gains that have more than kept pace with population. Inputs may be more limited in the future, and genetics may need to contribute more to yield increases. Selection for higher yield based on physiological traits or DNA markers has not been very successful. Transformation will contribute little to yield improvement because of the vast number of genes affecting yield. Genomics provides the technology to assay large numbers of genes and their expression, but the current genomics paradigm often ignores phenotypes. Empirical yield selection will continue to be important, and phenomics research may elucidate the connections between genes and complex phenotypes like yield.