Maize2035: A decadal vision for intelligent maize breeding

Hai-Jun Liu; Jie Liu; Zhiwen Zhai; Mingqiu Dai; Feng Tian; Yongrui Wu; Jihua Tang; Yanli Lu; Haiyang Wang; David Jackson; Xiaohong Yang; Feng Qin; Mingliang Xu; Alisdair R Fernie; Zuxin Zhang; Jianbing Yan

doi:10.1016/j.molp.2025.01.012

Maize2035: A decadal vision for intelligent maize breeding

Mol Plant. 2025 Feb 3;18(2):313-332. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.01.012. Epub 2025 Jan 17.

Authors

Hai-Jun Liu¹, Jie Liu¹, Zhiwen Zhai¹, Mingqiu Dai², Feng Tian³, Yongrui Wu⁴, Jihua Tang⁵, Yanli Lu⁶, Haiyang Wang¹, David Jackson⁷, Xiaohong Yang³, Feng Qin⁸, Mingliang Xu⁹, Alisdair R Fernie¹⁰, Zuxin Zhang¹, Jianbing Yan¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Yazhouwan National Laboratory, Sanya 572024, China.
² National Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
⁴ National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
⁵ National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
⁷ Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
⁸ State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
¹⁰ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
¹¹ National Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China. Electronic address: yjianbing@mail.hzau.edu.cn.

PMID: 39827366
DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.01.012

Abstract

Maize, a cornerstone of global food security, has undergone remarkable transformations through breeding, yet further increase in global maize production faces mounting challenges in a changing world. In this Perspective paper, we overview the historical successes of maize breeding that laid the foundation for present opportunities. We examine both the specific and shared breeding goals related to diverse geographies and end-use demands. Achieving these coordinated breeding objectives requires a holistic approach to trait improvement for sustainable agriculture. We discuss cutting-edge solutions, including multi-omics approaches from single-cell analysis to holobionts, smart breeding with advanced technologies and algorithms, and the transformative potential of rational design with synthetic biology approaches. A transition toward a data-driven future is currently underway, with large-scale precision agriculture and autonomous systems poised to revolutionize farming practice. Realizing these futuristic opportunities hinges on collaborative efforts spanning scientific discoveries, technology translations, and socioeconomic considerations in maximizing human and environmental well-being.

Keywords: Zea mays; food security; genomic prediction; hologenomics; multi-omics; synthetic biology.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Agriculture / methods
Crops, Agricultural / genetics
Plant Breeding* / methods
Zea mays* / genetics
Zea mays* / physiology