3. Design of breeding plans
Our view of the breeding landscape suggests that some
of the benefits of genomic information are not being fully
exploited in practical breeding schemes. The main reason
is that breeding schemes using genomic information are
based on ad hoc breeding plans. In this section, we explore
the components of breeding schemes that impact on longterm
genetic gain when using genomic information. With
the exception of genotyping, these components are the
same as those for conventional breeding schemes. We
highlight the importance of each component and propose
areas of improvement and future research. We then
illustrate that the components interact and advocate
breeding plans that optimise components simultaneously