Genomic selection and its importance in animal breeding and genetic improvement revolution: A comprehensive review

Genomic selection has emerged as a transformative approach in animal breeding and genetic improvement, revolutionizing the field by enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of selection processes. This comprehensive review aims to provide a detailed overview of the advancements and implications of genomic selection in animal breeding, focusing on its transformative impact on genetic improvement strategies. Genomic selection leverages the availability of high-throughput genotyping technologies and advanced statistical methods to predict the genetic merit of animals based on their genomic profiles. By utilizing information from thousands of genetic markers distributed across the genome, genomic selection enables breeders to make informed decisions at an early stage, even before the animals reach reproductive maturity .The integration of genomic and phenotypic data in statistical models, such as genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and Bayesian methods is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the review encompasses the estimation of genomic breeding values (GBVs) and their application in breeding programs. Genomic selection enhances the accuracy of selection decisions by capturing genetic information that would otherwise remain undetected using traditional methods. It enables early identification of elite animals, accelerates the rate of genetic gain, and reduces the generation interval. Additionally, genomic selection facilitates the selection for traits with low heritability, such as disease resistance, fertility, and complex traits influenced by multiple genes. The review also addresses the challenges and limitations associated with genomic selection, including the need for large reference populations, the potential for bias due to population structure, and the importance of considering genotype-by-environment interaction.