History and Impact of the International Peanut Genome Initiative: The Exciting Journey Toward Peanut Whole-Genome Sequencing

Abstract

Peanut is one of the major oilseed crops in the world and is a staple food crop for much of the world. It also faces many challenges in production and possesses many opportunities in advancing science. The U.S. Peanut Genome Initiative (PGI) was launched in 2004, and brought to the international stage in 2006 to meet these challenges through coordination of international efforts in genome research beginning with molecular marker development and the improvement of genetic map resolution and coverage. The International Peanut Genome Initiative (IPGI) was the first committed step by the global peanut research community toward meeting these needs and challenges. Ultimately, a peanut genome sequencing project was initiated in 2010 by the Peanut Genome Consortium (PGC) and the genome sequences of two diploid peanut progenitors were published in 2016. During this time, IPGI and PGC have been guiding and leading demand-driven innovations in peanut genome research and translating the information into practical research and breeding. In this chapter, we review the background and history of IPGI and its achievement in developing improved genotypes using marker-assisted breeding. We also reviewed the development of peanut populations for high-resolution genetic and trait mapping, highlighting the transition to and preparation for next-generation, multi-parental genetic mapping populations from individual bi-parental populations.