TOWARD A PLANT GENOMICS INITIATIVE - THOUGHTS ON THE VALUE OF CROSS-SPECIES AND CROSS-GENERA COMPARISONS IN THE GRASSES

Comparative genomics offers unparalleled opportunities to integrate hi storically distinct disciplines, to link disparate biological kingdoms , and to bridge basic and applied science. Cross-species, cross-genera , and cross-kingdom comparisons are proving key to understanding how g enes are structured, how gene structure relates to gene function, and how changes in DNA have given rise to the biological diversity on the planet. The application of genomics to the study of crop species offer s special opportunities for innovative approaches for combining sequen ce information with the vast reservoirs of historical information asso ciated with crops and their evolution, The grasses provide a particula rly well developed system for the development of tools to facilitate c omparative genetic interpretation among members of a diverse and evolu tionarily successful family. Rice provides advantages for genomic sequ encing because of its small genome and its diploid nature, whereas eac h of the other grasses provides complementary genetic information that will help extract meaning from the sequence data, Because of the impo rtance of the cereals to the human food chain, developments in this ar ea can lead directly to opportunities for improving the health and pro ductivity of our food systems and for promoting the sustainable use of natural resources.