omics-technology
Omics technologies encompass high-throughput approaches—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—that enable comprehensive, system-wide profiling of biological molecules within an organism. In plant science, these tools allow researchers to simultaneously survey thousands of genes, proteins, or metabolites, revealing how plants respond to environmental stresses, pathogens, and developmental cues at a molecular level. This holistic view accelerates the discovery of key regulatory networks and candidate genes underlying important agronomic traits such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, and yield.
PubMed · 2026-04-01
Scientists are calling for better use of advanced genetic sequencing tools to study fungi in soil, noting that fungi have been largely left out of the 'omics research revolution that has transformed our understanding of bacteria and plants.
Meta-omics studies (large-scale genetic sequencing of environmental samples) have been applied far less frequently to fungi than to bacteria or plants, representing a significant gap in the research landscape.
The review identifies inconsistencies across analysis pipelines used in fungal meta-omics studies, meaning different labs studying the same soil may reach different conclusions based on their methods alone.
The authors advocate for standardized reporting practices in fungal meta-omics research to make findings reproducible and comparable across studies, which is currently lacking in the field.