The crop selection process has created a genetic bottleneck ultimately restricting breeding output. Wild relatives of major crops as well as the so-called ‘neglected plant’ species represent a reservoir of genetic diversity that remains underutilized. These species could be used as a tool to discover new alleles of agronomic interest or could be the target of breeding programs. Targeted induced local lesions in the genome (TILLING) can be used to translate in neglected crops what has been discovered in major crops and reciprocally. However, random mutagenesis, used in TILLING approaches, provides only a limited density of mutational events at a defined target locus. Alternatively, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) associated 9 (Cas9) fused to a cytidine deaminase could serve as a localized mutagenic agent to produce high-density mutant populations. Artificial evolution is at hand.

作物选择过程造成了遗传瓶颈，最终限制了育种产量。主要农作物的野生近缘种以及所谓的“被忽视的植物”物种代表着遗传多样性的一个储备库，至今仍未得到充分利用。这些物种可以用作发现具有农艺学意义的新等位基因的工具，也可以成为育种计划的目标。在基因组中靶向诱导的局部病灶（TILLING）可用于在被忽视的作物中翻译主要作物中发现的结果，以及相互之间的发现。但是，在TILLING方法中使用的随机诱变只能在限定的目标基因座上提供有限密度的突变事件。或者，与胞苷脱氨酶融合的成簇的规则间隔的短回文重复序列（CRISPR）相关的9（Cas9）可以作为局部诱变剂以产生高密度突变种群。人工进化即将到来。