Molecular Markers and a New Vista in Plant Breeding: A Review

Plant breeding, which set off its journey with human being’s shifting from the activities of hunting and gathering towards nurturing seeds under the fixed settlement, is now a well-developed science. The destiny of plant breeding has been transformed since the 1980s, with impressive advancement of the technology called molecular marker. Various categories of molecular markers have been developed and the technologies have boosted crop improvement. RFLP was the first-generation molecular marker system based on the DNA-DNA hybridization method. Then the invention of PCR by Kary Mullis gave birth to the second-generation PCR-based markers. These were not only faster but also less expensive. Now, third-generation markers have taken their entry that is sequence-based. Molecular markers play A large number of important roles ranging from phylogenetic analysis, diversity studies, fingerprinting, construction of genetic maps, heterosis investigation etc. This review may be useful in better understanding the characteristics of various molecular markers.