Adamski, Nikolai M.Borrill, PhilippaBrinton, JemimaHarrington, Sophie A.Marchal, ClémenceBentley, Alison R.Bovill, William D.Cattivelli, LuigiCockram, JamesContreras-Moreira, BrunoFord, BrettGhosh, SreyaHarwood, WendyHassani-Pak, KeywanHayta, SadiyeHickey, Lee T.Kanyuka, KostyaKing, JulieMaccaferrri, MarcoNaamati, GuyPozniak, Curtis J.Ramirez-Gonzalez, Ricardo H.Sansaloni, CarolinaTrevaskis, BenWingen, Luzie U.Wulff, Brande B.H.Uauy, Cristobal2025-05-312025-05-312050-084XPubMed:32208137ORCID:/0000-0001-5519-4357/work/171153615http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85082284340&partnerID=8YFLogxKhttps://hdl.handle.net/1885/733755786Understanding the function of genes within staple crops will accelerate crop improvement by allowing targeted breeding approaches. Despite their importance, a lack of genomic information and resources has hindered the functional characterisation of genes in major crops. The recent release of high-quality reference sequences for these crops underpins a suite of genetic and genomic resources that support basic research and breeding. For wheat, these include gene model annotations, expression atlases and gene networks that provide information about putative function. Sequenced mutant populations, improved transformation protocols and structured natural populations provide rapid methods to study gene function directly. We highlight a case study exemplifying how to integrate these resources. This review provides a helpful guide for plant scientists, especially those expanding into crop research, to capitalise on the discoveries made in Arabidopsis and other plants. This will accelerate the improvement of crops of vital importance for food and nutrition security.This work was supported by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) through the Designing Future Wheat (BB/P016855/1) and GEN (BB/P013511/1) ISPs, grants BB/M008908/1, BB/M011666/1 and BB/P010741/1, an Anniversary Future Leader Fellowship BB/ M014045/1, and funding for the Ensembl4breeders workshop (to BCM), and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (BCM, GN). This work was also supported by the Rank Prize Funds New Lecturer Award (to PB) and a Royal Society Research Grant (RGS\R1\191163). Support was also received from the John Innes Centre Institute Strategic Fund (to SAH), the John Innes Foundation (to SAH and SG), the 2Blades Foundation (to SG and BBHW) and a Monsanto Beachell-Borlaug International Scholarship (to SG).enPublisher Copyright: © Adamski et al.202010.7554/eLife.5564685082284340