Navigating genetic redundancy in plant genomes: insights for research and breeding

Duplicated gene sequences are a prominent and widespread feature of plant genomes, often resulting in genetic redundancy that obscures the functions of individual genes and complicates trait dissection. This redundancy limits the effectiveness of traditional genetic approaches and poses challenges for crop improvement. Characterizing redundancy within gene families is essential for advancing both functional genomics and breeding. Recent advances in scalable mutant generation and multiplex genome editing enable systematic dissection of redundant networks and the discovery of masked phenotypes. Coupled with computational and comparative genomic approaches, these strategies provide a framework for more precise functional analysis, supporting the development of crop varieties with enhanced performance, resilience, and adaptability to changing environments.