PubMed · 2026-04-21
Scientists are using a computational technique called k-mer analysis to scan massive seed bank collections and find hidden genetic diversity in crop plants that has been lost from modern farming varieties. This could help breeders develop more climate-resilient crops by tapping into forgotten traits preserved in genebanks.
K-mer-based bioinformatics can detect functional genetic diversity in genebank collections that is entirely absent from modern elite crop varieties.
The approach enables precise identification of specific allele and haplotype variants across large collections of thousands of accessions, something previously impractical at scale.
Incorporating genebank diversity into breeding pipelines is increasingly recognized as a crucial strategy for developing climate-resilient cultivars.