For centuries, agriculture has served as the foundation of human civilization, providing food, raw materials, and livelihoods to millions worldwide. Traditional breeding methods, based on repeated selection, often take years to develop improved plant varieties. However, their limitations in enhancing yield and resilience have led to the emergence of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies as powerful tools in modern agriculture. Incorporating both second- and third-generation platforms, NGS has revolutionized agricultural genomics by enabling high-throughput and cost-effective analysis of entire genomes, exomes, mRNA, small RNAs, and other non-coding RNAs. NGS allows the simultaneous sequencing of millions of DNA fragments, offering in-depth insights into genome architecture, genetic variations, gene expression patterns, and epigenetic modifications. Combining genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data, a multi-omics approach provides a comprehensive understanding of plant growth, stress responses, and adaptation mechanisms. This comprehensive strategy is vital for enhancing crop yield, improving stress tolerance, and accelerating breeding programs, thus contributing to long-term agricultural sustainability and global food security. This chapter reviews key sequencing technologies, recent advances, and emerging trends in agricultural genomics. It also discusses the technical and analytical challenges of NGS and highlights its transformative role in crop improvement and the future of plant breeding.
Nadiya, F., Sabu, K.K., Rajalakshmi, R. (2026). Next-Generation Genomics and Omics in Crop Enhancement and Sustainable Agriculture. In: Al-Khayri, J.M., Yatoo, A.M., Jain, S.M., Penna, S. (eds) Handbook of Agricultural Technologies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0862-2_72-1
