Genetic Resources and Breeding Strategies for Sustainable Crop Yield Enhancement

Submission Deadline: 31 July 2026 View: 122 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Leon MUNTEAN

Email: leon.muntean@usamvcluj.ro

Affiliation: Department of Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Mănăstur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Research Interests: plant breeding, genetics, seed and planting material production, genetic resources; biotechnologies in plant breeding, stress tolerance

Prof. Dr. Teodora FLORIAN

Email: teodora.florian@usamvcluj.ro

Affiliation: Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Mănăstur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Research Interests: entomology, genetic resources, resistance breeding, plant protection, biological control, integrated pest management

Prof. Dr. Vasile FLORIAN

Email: vasile.florian@usamvcluj.ro

Affiliation: Department of Phytopathology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Mănăstur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Research Interests: phytopathology, resistance breeding, pathogen forecasting and warning, methods for pathogen control in agroecosystems, disease management in organic farming systems

Summary

This Special Issue focuses on the critical role of genetic resources and innovative breeding strategies in achieving sustainable crop yield improvements. As global food demand rises amidst climate change and environmental challenges, harnessing genetic diversity from traditional, wild, and neglected varieties offers promising avenues for developing stress-tolerant, high-yielding crops. Conserving and utilizing this diversity is essential for enhancing crop adaptability, disease resistance, and stress tolerance.

The aim of this Special Issue, Genetic Resources and Breeding Strategies for Sustainable Crop Yield Enhancement, is to bring together original research and reviews that highlight recent advances in plant genetic resource management and modern breeding strategies. Contributions are encouraged on advanced breeding techniques such as marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and gene editing, as well as on the integration of biotechnological tools with traditional breeding approaches. The ultimate goal is to optimize yield and quality while ensuring ecological sustainability.

· Conservation and characterization of genetic resources;
· Breeding approaches for yield enhancement and quality traits;
· Breeding for abiotic and biotic stress tolerance;
· Seed and planting material production strategies for yield stability;
· Advanced tools: MAS, genomic selection, CRISPR and other gene editing methods;
· Integration of biotechnology and conventional breeding;
· Applications to food, feed, medicinal, and underutilized crops.

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