THE POTENTIAL OF GENE TECHNOLOGY AND GENOME ANALYSIS FOR COOL-SEASON FOOD LEGUME CROPS - THEORY AND PRACTICE

The potential of plant gene technology encompasses a multitude of diff erent techniques ranging from the isolation of useful genes, their cha racterization and in vitro manipulation to the reintroduction of the m odified constructs into target plants, where they are expressed at a r ate that alters the phenotype of the plants. Genome analysis, on the o ther hand, aims at characterizing the genome architecture and function (s). Plant gene technology has catalyzed progress in plant breeding, a s will be exemplified by a few examples, but has not yet been applied to food legume improvement on a large scale. Genome analysis, however, has a series of practical implications, as is illustrated by the succ essful introduction of DNA fingerprint and PCR fingerprint techniques to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) breeding and Ascochyta rabiei pathoty ping. The present overview addresses both areas of plant molecular bio logy to illustrate their potential for food legume breeding.