Microsatellite markers for crop improvement: A review

Abstract

Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers are a helpful strategy among the various molecular marker techniques for strengthening molecular breeding programs. These are useful markers for genotyping plant populations with tandem repeats of 2-6 base pair length DNA patterns. The expansion of various molecular markers and advances in sequencing technologies has aided crop improvement. Several articles for research scholars with progressive knowledge of molecular genetics have been published in the last three decades to probe the information regarding molecular markers. This article reviews novel advances regarding molecular markers and their implementations in plant breeding for researchers with no expertise in using molecular markers in plant breeding. A superior comprehension of molecular markers, and a better consciousness of the spectrum of crops that can be grown, has resulted from progress in molecular plant breeding, genetics, genomic selection, and genome rectification. Further-generation sequence technology must enable the production of novel genetic markers for multifaceted and amorphous groups through genotyping-by-sequencing and union mapping. The review also discusses almost all the microsatellite markers and their advantages and disadvantages.