Molecular methods for analyzing the structure-function organization of genes and genomes in higher plants

The advent of molecular methods to plant genetics in the last few decades has provided for understanding of the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying the inheritance and establishment of valuable traits in plants, construction of chromosome maps with molecular markers and genes for the most important agricultural species, introduction of molecular methods into genetic breeding research, and emergence of the concept of molecular certification of crop cultivars. In addition to an evident practical significance, application of molecular methods has also allowed basic research in the field of plant genetics and evolution to be considerably expanded. This review considers the main state-of-the-art methods in plant genetics and the fields of their application.