MAGIC: A Genetic Strategy for Discovering and Harnessing Natural Allele Variants for Trait Manipulation

Natural variation also referred to as genetic diversity or biodiversity is pervasive in all living organisms. It is important for their survival, providing the raw material for evolution, speciation and adaptation. From the viewpoint of agriculture, all crop plants have been domesticated from genetic diversity present in the wild. Breeders are well aware of the significance of natural variation, because it is the force that propels their enterprise. Unfortunately, however, as breeding advances, it also results in an erosion of genetic diversity, leading to the narrowing of the germplasm (Tanksley and McCouch, 1997).