Harnessing Multi-Omics Strategies and Bioinformatics Innovations for Advancing Soybean Improvement: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Soybean improvement has entered a new era with the advent of multi-omics strategies and bioinformatics innovations, enabling more precise and efficient breeding practices. This comprehensive review examines the application of multi-omics approaches in soybean—encompassing genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and phenomics. We first explore pre-breeding and genomic selection as tools that have laid the groundwork for advanced trait improvement. Subsequently, we dig into the specific contributions of each -omics field, highlighting how bioinformatics tools and resources have facilitated the generation and integration of multifaceted data. The review emphasizes the power of integrating multi-omics datasets to elucidate complex traits and drive the development of superior soybean cultivars. Emerging trends, including novel computational techniques and high-throughput technologies, are discussed in the context of their potential to revolutionize soybean breeding. Finally, we address the challenges associated with multi-omics integration and propose future directions to overcome these hurdles, aiming to accelerate the pace of soybean improvement. This review serves as a crucial resource for researchers and breeders seeking to leverage multi-omics strategies for enhanced soybean productivity and resilience.