This book gathers the latest information on the organization of genomes in wild Solanum species and emphasizes how this information is yielding direct outcomes in the fields of molecular breeding, as well as a better understanding of both the patterns and processes of evolution. Cultivated Solanums, such as potato, tomato, and pepper, possess a high number of wild relatives that are of great importance for practical breeding and evolutionary studies. Their germplasm is often characterized by allelic diversity, as well as genes that are lacking in the cultivated species.

Wild Solanums have not been fully exploited by breeders. This is mainly due to the lack of information regarding their genetics and genomics. However, the genome of important cultivated Solanaceae such as potato, tomato, eggplant, and pepper has already been sequenced. On the heels of these recent developments, wild Solanum genomes are now becoming available, opening an exciting new era for both basic research and varietal development in the Solanaceae.

Describes opportunities and challenges regarding the genetic improvement of Solanum species Shares valuable insights into the latest advances in genome sequencing and analysis Demonstrates how scientific findings in plant genomics can be used to improve plant breeding

Inhalt
Wild Solanums botany and distribution (introductive chapter).- Cytological details of genomes.- Tomato genetic resources.- Potato genetic resources.- Potato resistance genes.- Eggplant & pepper genetic resources.- Wild tomato genome sequences.- New genomic data into an evolutionary (phylogenetic) context.- S. commersonii genome sequence.- S. chacoense genome sequence.- Eggplant genomes.- Transposable elements.- Cultivar Improvement with Exotic Germplasm: The potato as example.- Impact of genome sequences on breeding.