Traditional Breeding Practices Research Articles

Validation of the Indigenous Technical Knowledge of Cattle Pastoralists of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India

Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) of livestock breeding is often tacit and not necessarily expressed in conventional forms of scientific research and documentation. Indigenous livestock breeding systems rely mostly on qualitative traits than pure quantitative qualities. Qualitative traits are difficult to measure and most of the indigenous knowledge systems are in forms of qualitative traits. The lack of documentation and predominant qualitative nature makes it difficult to validate the ITK related to livestock breeding. In this context a study was conducted to examine the traditional breeding practices associated with two heritage cattle breeds of the Deccan Plateau region of India. The study examines the criteria used for selection of the breeding bulls of the indigenous Poda Thurpu and Nallmala-Pasa/Kamma, cattle breeds native to the study area. Results of the study identifies fourteen traits specific to breeding bulls and four traits that are generic to the breeding stock/cows. These traits/characteristics are ‘deemed desirable’ by the local cattle breeders for the ‘heritage breeds’, believed to have been bred and managed by them for generations. Observations of the present study supports the notion that traditional breeders of heritage breeds lay more emphasis on qualitative traits (ability to warding-off predators, fending off-springs, coat colour and texture, gait of the animal, temperament, and response and obedience to instructions of the master) than quantitative traits. It was found that local breeders give significant importance to the fertility of bovine bulls than cows. Breeding bulls are meticulously chosen with extreme caution and care, following a very long and meticulous selection process that could last for four years. Traditionally local cattle breeders of the study follow open nucleus breeding system for breeding and are strictly against promotion of inbreeding among their cattle herds. Only men are involved in cattle breeding in the study area and women usually stay away.

Green revolution to genome revolution: driving better resilient crops against environmental instability.

Crop improvement programmes began with traditional breeding practices since the inception of agriculture. Farmers and plant breeders continue to use these strategies for crop improvement due to their broad application in modifying crop genetic compositions. Nonetheless, conventional breeding has significant downsides in regard to effort and time. Crop productivity seems to be hitting a plateau as a consequence of environmental issues and the scarcity of agricultural land. Therefore, continuous pursuit of advancement in crop improvement is essential. Recent technical innovations have resulted in a revolutionary shift in the pattern of breeding methods, leaning further towards molecular approaches. Among the promising approaches, marker-assisted selection, QTL mapping, omics-assisted breeding, genome-wide association studies and genome editing have lately gained prominence. Several governments have progressively relaxed their restrictions relating to genome editing. The present review highlights the evolutionary and revolutionary approaches that have been utilized for crop improvement in a bid to produce climate-resilient crops observing the consequence of climate change. Additionally, it will contribute to the comprehension of plant breeding succession so far. Investing in advanced sequencing technologies and bioinformatics will deepen our understanding of genetic variations and their functional implications, contributing to breakthroughs in crop improvement and biodiversity conservation.

Iron bioavailability of maize (Zea mays L.) after removing the germ fraction.

Maize is a staple food for many communities with high levels of iron deficiency anemia. Enhancing the iron concentrations and iron bioavailability of maize with traditional breeding practices, especially after cooking and processing, could help alleviate iron deficiency in many of these regions. Previous studies on a small number of maize genotypes and maize flour products indicated that degermination (germ fraction removed with processing) could improve the iron bioavailability of maize. This study expanded upon this research by evaluating the iron bioavailability, mineral concentrations, and phytate concentrations of 52 diverse maize genotypes before (whole kernels) and after degermination. Whole and degerminated maize samples were cooked, dried, and milled to produce corn flour. Iron bioavailability was evaluated with an in vitro digestion Caco2 cell bioassay. In 30 of the maize genotypes, bioavailable iron increased when degerminated, thus indicating a higher fractional iron uptake because the iron concentrations decreased by more than 70% after the germ fraction was removed. The remaining 22 genotypes showed no change or a decrease in iron bioavailability after degermination. These results confirm previous research showing that the germ fraction is a strong inhibitory component for many maize varieties. Phytate concentrations in maize flours were greatly reduced with degermination. However, the relationship between phytate concentrations and the iron bioavailability of processed maize flour is complex, acting as either inhibitor or promoter of iron uptake depending on the color of the maize kernels and processing method used to produce flour. Other factors in the maize endosperm fractions are likely involved in the effects of degermination on iron bioavailability, such as vitreous or floury endosperm compositions and the polyphenol content of the bran. This study demonstrates that iron nutrition from maize can be enhanced by selecting genotypes where the inhibitory effect of the bran color and endosperm fraction are relatively low, especially after processing via degermination.

Resistance of pea (Pisum sativum L.) varieties to fungal diseases and their productivity in the South-East of Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, fungal diseases root rot and Ascochyta strongly affect the growth and yield of peas. Traditional breeding practices have resulted in improved resistance to these diseases in adapted varieties and lines, which is the main way to minimize yield losses. The global problem for breeders is to identify genes for disease resistance and use them in breeding programs. At the moment, promising, highly resistant to fungal diseases have been identified. In this work, modern methods of experiment, observation and accounting, selection and preparation of land plots, laying and experimenting with physiological and biological parameters of pea samples were used. Monitoring was carried out to determine the phytopathological and immunological evaluation of 59 varieties and lines of peas to fungal diseases was carried out. As a result of the analysis, 16 genotypes were highly resistant (I), 32 resistant (R) and 11 moderately resistant (MR) to Ascochyta in the natural background of the disease. At the same time, 21 genotypes were highly resistant (I), 26 resistant (R), 5 moderately resistant (MR), 6 moderately susceptible (MS) and 1 susceptible (S) to root rot on a natural background. On an artificial infectious background, the result showed that 9 genotypes were highly resistant (I), 43 resistant (R), and 7 moderately resistant to Ascochyta. And 19 genotypes were highly resistant (I), 33 resistant (R), 3 moderately resistant (MR), 2 moderately susceptible (MS) and 2 susceptible (S) to root rot. As a result of phenological analysis, in most pea samples, ascochitosis disease and root rot were pronounced, but with the least damage. The vegetation period was 112 days in 2021, and up to 93 days in 2022. According to the analysis indicators, all pea samples are very useful for identifying donors and can be included in breeding programs for hybridization to create new productive and resistant varieties.

Traditional sheep breeding practices under agroforestry system of Gedeo zone, Southern Ethiopia.

The study was undertaken in Gedeo zone with the aim to identify traditional sheep breeding practices. Three potential districts (Yirgachefe, Bule and Gedeb) were purposely selected from Gedeo zone. A total of 180 smallholder sheep farmers were selected at random to complete a structured questionnaire that had been pretested. A pairwise ranking tool was used to prioritize ranked data during focus group discussion. Descriptive statistics were generated using SPSS version 26, while indices were computed for the ranked data. Mating happens because most farmers in Gedeo zone (80%) own breeding rams that are mixed and run with ewe flocks. Fifty-two percent of farmers were certain that their breeding rams mate with neighboring ewes. Nearly 70% of farmers prevented unwanted sheep breeding in their flocks by castrating or isolating undesirable rams from the ewe flock. Undesired or old breeding rams were replaced either from the same flock (58.9%) or purchased from local markets (41.1%). Breeding flock selection was common in Gedeo zone, with 97.2% of farmers selecting breeding rams and 93.3% of farmers selecting breeding ewes. Genotype (Index = 0.26) and body conformation (Index = 0.20) were the primary and secondary criteria used to select breeding ewes. Likewise, confirmation (Index = 0.25), genotype (Index = 0.24) and lamb growth rate (Index = 0.19) were the top three criteria when selecting breeding rams. Approximately three-quarters of interviewed farmers culled sheep due to poor body condition (31.8%), old age (28.6%), sickness (22.7%) and sterility (15.6%). Castration of rams was more common in Gedeb (58.3%) and Yirgachefe (55%) districts, and it was done for fattening, controlling unwanted breeding, and improving temperament. The mean selection and castration age of breeding rams were 13.18 and 30.72 months. In general, sheep breeding strategies for Gedeo zone should take into account section preferences and basic traditional sheep breeding practices.

Origin, evolution, breeding, and omics of Apiaceae: a family of vegetables and medicinal plants.

Many of the world's most important vegetables and medicinal crops, including carrot, celery, coriander, fennel, and cumin, belong to the Apiaceae family. In this review, we summarize the complex origins of Apiaceae and the current state of research on the family, including traditional and molecular breeding practices, bioactive compounds, medicinal applications, nanotechnology, and omics research. Numerous molecular markers, regulatory factors, and functional genes have been discovered, studied, and applied to improve vegetable and medicinal crops in Apiaceae. In addition, current trends in Apiaceae application and research are also briefly described, including mining new functional genes and metabolites using omics research, identifying new genetic variants associated with important agronomic traits by population genetics analysis and GWAS, applying genetic transformation, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system, and nanotechnology. This review provides a reference for basic and applied research on Apiaceae vegetable and medicinal plants.

Ethics and animal reproductive technologies.

This paper offers a framework to help animal scientists engage in critical thinking about their own practices. Its objective is to reinforce their ability to participate in debates and discussions about the ethics surrounding the use of modern animal reproductive technologies (ART). This will be achieved first by exploring some of the most important philosophical conceptualizations of animals in Western philosophy, which are shaping the way humans interact with them. Then, we will analyse whether modern ART constitute ethically significant innovations in comparison with more traditional animal breeding practices, or whether they stand in continuity with the latter. This will be followed by a review some of the most important ethical issues with modern ART, where human, animal welfare, environmental and socio-economic issues will be discussed.

Traditional cattle breeding practices and rate of inbreeding in the mid rift valley of Oromia, Ethiopia

One Health is a holistic approach for investigation as well as for the control of human, animal, and environmental health problems. It comes with a multisectoral approach for the multifactor health problems and this made it to be more advocated.

Temporal analysis shows relaxed genetic erosion following improved stocking practices in a subarctic transnational brown trout population

Maintaining standing genetic variation is a challenge in human-dominated landscapes. We used genetic (i.e., 16 short tandem repeats) and morphological (i.e., length and weight) measurements of 593 contemporary and historical brown trout (Salmo trutta) samples to study fine-scale and short-term impacts of different management practices. These had changed from traditional breeding practices, using the same broodstock for several years, to modern breeding practices, including annual broodstock replacement, in the transnational subarctic Pasvik River. Using population genetic structure analyses (i.e., Bayesian assignment tests, DAPCs, and PCAs), four historical genetic clusters (E2001A-D), likely representing family lineages resulting from different crosses, were found in zone E. These groups were characterized by consistently lower genetic diversity, higher within-group relatedness, lower effective population size, and significantly smaller body size than contemporary stocked (E2001E) and wild fish (E2001F). However, even current breeding practices are insufficient to prevent genetic diversity loss and morphological changes as demonstrated by on average smaller body sizes and recent genetic bottleneck signatures in the modern breeding stock compared to wild fish. Conservation management must evaluate breeding protocols for stocking programs and assess if these can preserve remaining natural genetic diversity and morphology in brown trout for long-term preservation of freshwater fauna.

Inductive Effects of Carbohydrates and Plant Regeneration via Anther Culture in Madagascar Periwinkle

Anther culture has emerged as an alternative for traditional plant breeding practices for homozygosity development, which in the case of medical plants resulting in increased yield of phytoconstituents. The response of anthers during culture is governed by the various constituents of the nutrient media. The carbohydrate in the nutrient media plays a pivotal role as it acts as a source of carbon skeleton and maintains the osmoticum. In the present research, anthers of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. at early to late uninucleate stage of development were selected for the experiment. The anthers were cultured to evaluate the androgenic potential under the influence of different types and concentrations of carbohydrates viz. sucrose, glucose, maltose, and galactose. It was found that out of four carbohydrates except maltose, all performed best at 30 gm/l. The maximum rate of androgenic callus induction was noted in sucrose at 30 gm/l (69.66±1.52%). All the carbohydrates showed the least rate of calli induction at high concentration i.e. 70 gm/l. The embryo like structures were able to develop on the media supplemented with the combination of 1 mg/l BAP, 0.5 mg/l Kinetin and 0.5 mg/l NAA (13.33±5.77%). The ploidy analysis of randomly selected 30 calli and 10 leaves revealed that Catharanthus roseus has haploid regeneration tendencies and also possesses a tendency for spontaneous double haploid formation.

On Farm Reproductive Performance and Trait Preferences of Sheep and Goat in Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Areas of Afar Regional State, Ethiopia

This study was conducted from March 2018 to January 2019 with the aim of assessing the reproductive performance and traits preferences of sheep and goats producers in pastoral and agro-pastoral area of Afar, Ethiopia. Semi-structured questionnaires and field observations were used to collect the required information from 136 from pastoral and 56 from agro-pastoral. Sheep and goats were kept for a variety of reasons including income generation, insurance (sale for cash to meet unexpected expenditures) and economic security (sale for cash to support foreseeable expenses), social/religious functions and prestige in ownership. In both production systems, next to camels, goats and sheep were ranked as the second and third most important livestock species in accordance to their relative importance. In the current study, there was a significance differences (P<0.05) in the reproductive performance of both sheep and goats between pastoral and agro-pastoral areas. Goats in agro-pastoral areas had noticeably higher average age at first kidding (12.33 ± 0.76 months), and kidding interval (8.76 ± 2.04 months) whereas they had lower age at first mating both for Doe and bucks (9.28 ± 1.85 and 7.98 ± 2.08 months, respectively). Similarly, sheep in the agro-pastoral areas had higher age at first lambing (12.30 ± 1.18 months) and lambing interval (9.16 ± 2.66 months) than sheep found in the pastoral areas. In both production systems twinning ability (0.46), fast growth (0.41) and trekking long distances were the main preferred sheep traits, whereas fast growth, milk yield and twining ability were the main goat preferred traits with an overall index value of 0.37, 0.32, and 0.32, respectively. Genetic improvement programs targeting pastoral and agro-pastoral production system need to be incorporated the traits of preference, multipurpose roles and the existing traditional herding and breeding practices.

Innovation and the commons: lessons from the governance of genetic resources in potato breeding

This article explores the relation between innovation and resources that are governed as commons by looking at the governance of potato genetic resources, especially in the context of the emergence of hybrid diploid potato breeding that will enable potato propagation through true seeds. As a new breeding tool, hybrid diploid potato breeding may not only revolutionize traditional potato breeding practices, it may also strongly affect current governance modes of potato genetic resources as a commons. Contrary to conventional accounts of the commons that treat technological innovation mainly as an exogenous factor, we argue that technological innovation can better be understood as an endogenous factor. In particular, we develop a co-production framework of innovation and the commons that draws attention to the different ways in which innovation, commons and its governance interact. Using this framework, we demonstrate that the constitution of potato genetic resources as a commons cannot be understood without considering the various ways in which technological innovation affects resources and mediate how these are governed. While reversely, technological innovations themselves are also enabled and constrained by users who govern potato genetic resources as a shared resource. We argue that changes in the governance of genetic resources can be understood as a change from one socio-technical constellation to another, whereby innovations, resources, and institutions are continuously co-produced.

Магия в хозяйственных практиках скотоводов-кочевников Внутренней Азии

Introduction. Breeding of domestic animals capable of surviving across different ecological niches of Inner Asia proved crucial to nomadic culture and its biological adaptation to harsh and unpredictable natural conditions of the region. So, it is livestock embodied in the concept of taban hoshuu mal ― ‘five types of livestock’ (horses, camels, cattle, sheep and goats) ― that serves as fundamental nomadic wealth. However, the traditional livestock breeding practices of Inner Asian nomads which had ensured the development of unique nomadic civilization still remain understudied and need further research. Goals. The article seeks to analyze a corpus of ideas and irrational practices used in livestock breeding, identify their functions and meanings. Results. The study describes magical techniques aimed at increasing the fecundity and productivity of livestock, its protection against predators and thieves. The paper identifies representations that endow related household items (lashes, ropes, horse tack, dishes) with special supernatural powers. Examined are views and magic tricks associated with infectious disease control. The work proves that the key idea of the whole range of magical actions used in livestock breeding was to preserve the ‘happiness / luck of livestock’ personified by animals as such, their coat colors, wool, bones, milk, manure, and specific household items. It is concluded that the fire of the hearth has been the main guardian of ‘livestock’s happiness’ since ancient times.

Advances in Genomic Selection for Enhanced Crop Improvement: Bridging the Gap between Genomics and Plant Breeding

Genomic selection (GS) has emerged as a transformative approach in plant breeding, revolutionizing the efficiency and precision of crop improvement. This comprehensive review delves into the advancements in GS and its pivotal role in bridging the gap between genomics and traditional breeding practices. GS leverages genome-wide markers to predict the breeding value of plants, thereby accelerating the selection process and reducing the time required to develop new crop varieties. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has significantly reduced genotyping costs, making high-throughput genotyping more accessible and practical across a wide range of crops. This review highlights the successful implementation of GS in key staple crops such as wheat, maize, and rice, demonstrating substantial improvements in yield, stress tolerance, disease resistance, and nutritional profiles.The integration of GS into breeding programs has led to notable advancements. For instance, in wheat, GS has enabled the development of high-yielding, drought-tolerant varieties, essential for ensuring food security in the face of climate change. In maize, GS has facilitated the creation of varieties with enhanced stress tolerance and resistance to major diseases, contributing to increased productivity and sustainability. Similarly, in rice, GS has been instrumental in breeding varieties with improved nutritional quality and resilience to adverse environmental conditions, crucial for meeting the dietary needs of growing populations in vulnerable regions.

Biofortification Strategies for Enhancing Nutrient Content in Staple Crops: Progress, Challenges, and Future Directions

Biofortification represents a key strategy to enhance the nutritional quality of staple crops and combat micronutrient deficiencies prevalent in vulnerable populations. This review explores the advancements in biofortifying staple crops with essential nutrients, highlighting the significant progress achieved through genetic engineering, traditional breeding, and agronomic practices. Despite these advancements, several challenges persist, including limitations in genetic diversity, the impact of environmental factors, and varying levels of consumer acceptance. Addressing these issues requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates genetic, agronomic, and socioeconomic strategies. Future research should focus on optimizing biofortification techniques, expanding successful interventions, and scaling up efforts to achieve global food security and improved nutrition outcomes.

Breeding Objective, Selection Criteria and Breeding Practice of Indigenous Goat Types in Ancher and Gemechis Districts, Eastern Ethiopia

This study was aimed to generate basic information on breeding objective, selection criteria and breeding practice of indigenous goat type under farmer’s management condition in Ancher and Gemechis districts, Eastern Ethiopia. The study was performed based on household survey. About 240 households (120 from each district) were used for household survey. Appearance, color, testicular characteristics and horn were most important traits considered by farmers to choose breeding bucks in Ancher and Gemechis district. Appearance and coat color ranked as first and second, respectively followed by better milk yield in Ancher and twinning ability in Gemechis district as third criteria for selection breeding does. The average age at first sexual maturity of male in Ancher and Gemechis district were 7.6±0.07 and 7.4±0.06 months, respectively, in the meantime female goats were the average age at first sexual maturity in Ancher and Gemechis districts was 7.8±0.07 and 7.6±0.06 months, respectively. The mean of age at first kidding for Ancher and Gemechis districts goat 12.9±0.15 and 12.5±0.14 months, respectively. Mean estimate of effective population size and mean rate of inbreeding was 2.4 and 0.21, respectively when a household flock is herded alone and under random mating. Therefore, any breed improvement strategies that are intended to be implemented in the study area and otherwise- where should consider the traditional breeding practices and breeding objectives of the community.

English

The review aims to examine dairy cattle production system together with pastoral and agro- pastoral, small holder, peri urban and urban intensive dairy cattle production system, breeding practice including mating system (natural mating and Artificial Insemination), breeding objectives, reproductive and productive traits of dairy cattle in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia most farmers use natural, unplanned and uncontrolled mating system by using breeding from communal grazing and a few farmer use AI for improvement of breed and production by upgrading the genetic makeup of indigenous breed of cattle. Hence in Ethiopia, using breeding objectives in line with the effective breeding policies for both natural service and AI for sustainable and effective animal breeding practice is needed. Stakeholders, animal breeders and policy designers are to pay attention in transforming the already existing traditional breeding practices that target the productivity of dairy cattle with cautious consideration of genetic conservation of local cattle breeds. Key words: Breeding objective, breeding practice, dairy cattle, Ethiopia.

The traditional livestock breeding practices of women and men Somali pastoralists: breeding management and beliefs on breeding issues

In Somalia, located in the horn of Africa and one of the world’s poorest countries, livestock are the mainstay of the economy. While strengthening the livestock sector is considered key to reduced poverty and increased food security, few studies have reported the livestock management practices of Somali pastoralists, including on breeding issues. Here, we present the final of a series of papers documenting the breeding practices of women and men Somali pastoralists for goat, sheep, camel and cattle. Data for the study were obtained by surveying 200 livestock-keeping households located within the Tog-Dheer region of Somaliland. The most important livestock species kept, in terms of contribution to household livelihood, were goats and sheep, followed by camel, then cattle. Migration with livestock was practiced by two-thirds of the households for some or all of the year, whereas other households were settled with their livestock. On breeding practices, the main means of acquiring breeding animals was by the animal being born into the herd, and varied means were used to control mating, including castration, culling, separation of male and female animals, purposeful mating of best males to best females, and controlling the size of mating groups. On beliefs on breeding issues, the pastoralists had a varied understanding of whether specific livestock traits were influenced by genetics, environment, or a combination of both, and most could not articulate the basis of inheritance. Knowledge of inbreeding was poor, with almost all respondents indicating they did not consider the mating of related animals to be problematic. Additionally, some pastoralists tried to influence the sex of the livestock progeny born through various practices. Overall, the finding presented here and in the companion studies (Marshall et al. 2014, 2016) indicated that the women and men Somali pastoralists generally employ sound breeding practices, although there is room for capacity building such as on inbreeding.

English

This study was conducted with the aim to generate organized information on traditional breeding practices and selection criteria for indigenous sheep types in three districts of central zone of Tigray, North Ethiopia. A total of 180 households were randomly sampled for the interview. A semi-structured questionnaire and group discussion were further used to gather information on sheep breeding practices and selection criteria. The primary reason for keeping sheep in Tanqua-Abergelle and Kola-Tembien districts were manure as sources of fertilizer, while in Adwa district cash income. In all the study districts the flock structure were dominated by breeding ewes and they accounted 38.5, 35.9 and 38.7% in Tanqua-Abergelle, Kola-Tembien and Adwa districts, respectively. Sexual maturity of female for Tanqua-Abergelle, Kola-Tembien and Adwa districts were 9.16±0.82, 8.75±1.34, and 8.86±1.04 months, respectively and for male 7.43±0.76, 6.67±0.91, and 6.64±0.95 months, respectively. Tail type and body size in Tanqua-Abergelle and Kola-Tembien were the most frequently reported traits in selecting breeding ram and ewes, while tail type and coat colour in Adwa district. Based on the present result on sheep indigenous breeding practices one may develop selection criteria and productivity schemes of the local sheep in the study districts. Key words: Adwa, breeding practice, indigenous selection criteria, Kola-Tembien, phenotypes, Tanqua-Abergelle.

Agrobacterium: A Genome-Editing Tool-Delivery System.

With the rapidly increasing global population, it will be extremely challenging to provide food to the world without increasing food production by at least 70% over the next 30years. As we reach the limits of expanding arable land, the responsibility of meeting this production goal will rely on increasing yields. Traditional plant breeding practices will not be able to realistically meet these expectations, thrusting plant biotechnology into the limelight to fulfill these needs. Better varieties will need to be developed faster and with the least amount of regulatory hurdles. With the need to add, delete, and substitute genes into existing genomes, the field of genome editing and gene targeting is now rapidly developing with numerous new technologies coming to the forefront. Agrobacterium-mediated crop transformation has been the most utilized method to generate transgenic varieties that are better yielding, have new traits, and are disease and pathogen resistant. Genome-editing technologies rely on the creation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the genomic DNA of target species to facilitate gene disruption, addition, or replacement through either non-homologous end joining or homology-dependent repair mechanisms. DSBs can be introduced through the use of zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), or clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas nucleases, among others. Agrobacterium strains have been employed to deliver the reagents for genome editing to the specific target cells. Understanding the biology of transformation from the perspective not only of Agrobacterium, but also of the host, from processing of T-DNA to its integration in the host genome, has resulted in a wealth of information that has been used to engineer Agrobacterium strains having increased virulence. As more technologies are being developed, that will help overcome issues of Agrobacterium host range and random integration of DNA, combined with highly sequence-specific nucleases, a robust crop genome-editing toolkit finally seems attainable.