Despite their vital role in food, fuel, and climate resilience, plants remain genomically underexplored. Of the estimated 400,000 plant species, only around 900 have been sequenced, largely due to the size and complexity of their genomes. A whitepaper from Oxford Nanopore Technologies outlines how long-read sequencing is changing that.
The paper highlights how nanopore technology enables high-quality genome assemblies, resolves repetitive and structurally complex regions, and offers scalable, field-ready tools for both genome and transcriptome analysis. Case studies show successful applications in crops and model species, with insights into 3D genome architecture and structural variation.
With biodiversity under threat and global food demand rising, now is the time to accelerate plant genome research.
Read the full whitepaper and explore what’s possible with nanopore sequencing here.