Legume Pangenome: Status and Scope for Crop Improvement

In the last decade, legume genomics research has seen a paradigm shift due to advances in genome sequencing technologies, assembly algorithms, and computational genomics that enabled the construction of high-quality reference genome assemblies of major legume crops. These advances have certainly facilitated the identification of novel genetic variants underlying the traits of agronomic importance in many legume crops. Furthermore, these robust sequencing technologies have allowed us to study structural variations across the whole genome in multiple individuals and at the species level using ‘pangenome analysis.’ This review updates the progress of constructing pangenome assemblies for various legume crops and discusses the prospects for these pangenomes and how to harness the information to improve various traits of economic importance through molecular breeding to increase genetic gain in legumes and tackle the increasing global food crisis.