Genomics and Bioinformatics Resources

Rapid generation of genome and transcriptome data from various research projects across the globe resulted in the accumulation of enormous amounts of data of various crop species or groups of crops. These data are organized and stored in different databases, which offers user-friendly search and retrieval of the desired information for further analyses and use. The information in these databases is used to develop DNA-based markers such as SSRs and SNPs, which are the most popular genomics resources applied for QTL mapping and marker-assisted selection. Several bioinformatics resources such as algorithms, stand-alone software, as well as web-based tool are developed by several research groups and made available in the public domain or sold commercially for the rapid and systematic analysis of DNA sequence or gene expression data. Genetic resources such as biparental, multi-parental, natural, as well as mutant populations for various target traits were developed by researchers, which are utilized for the mapping of QTLs as well as identification of candidate genes associated with the traits of interest by the application of genomics tools developed using bioinformatics resources in these mapping populations. This review discusses the most relevant databases useful for sorghum, development of genomics resources such as DNA markers using various bioinformatics tools, and the genetic resources available in sorghum.