Call for papers - Omics of crops

Guest Editors

Umesh K Reddy, PhD, West Virginia State University, United States
Margaret R Woodhouse, PhD, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, United States
Daoquan Xiang, PhD, National Research Council, Canada

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 30 May 2025

BMC Genomic Data invites submissions for a new Collection on omics of crops, highlighting cutting-edge research on genomics and omics technologies in the context of essential food supply crops. We invite submissions that explore the application of omics approaches to enhance crop traits, improve disease resistance, and address global food security challenges. This Collection aims to showcase innovative research that leverages omics data for sustainable crop production and resilience to environmental stressors.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 13: Climate Action

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Umesh K Reddy, PhD, West Virginia State University, United States

Dr Umesh K. Reddy is a distinguished professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at West Virginia State University. With extensive research experience in genetics, plant breeding, biotechnology, and genomics, Dr Reddy has significantly contributed to the field through his work on various crops, including peppers, cucurbits, and sweet potatoes. He has published over 200 papers, showcasing his prolific output and expertise. Dr Reddy has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students, fostering the next generation of scientists. His research focuses on nutraceutical compounds, ecological genomics, and next-generation sequencing, making him a leading figure in plant genetic research and education.

Margaret R Woodhouse, PhD, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, United States

Margaret Woodhouse is a Computational Biologist for the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) database MaizeGDB (the Maize Genetics and Genomics Database). Dr Woodhouse obtained her PhD in Plant Biology at UC Berkeley studying the epigenetic regulation of transposons in maize, and since then has worked in comparative genomics of many crop species, including Brassica, Sorghum, and maize. Her current work includes maize pan-genomics research, collecting and presenting omics data for the maize community, and developing tools and resources for maize researchers.

Daoquan Xiang, PhD, National Research Council, Canada

Dr Daoquan Xiang, Research Officer at National Research Council Canada (Saskatoon), is a distinguished molecular biologist specializing in developmental biology, molecular genetics, and functional genomics of seed biology. His expertise encompasses meristem and stem cell regulators that influence plant architecture, performance, and nutritional components in both crops and model species. By leveraging cutting-edge genomic technologies, Dr Xiang has made significant advancements in the discovery and characterization of key regulatory genes. His research, employing comprehensive omics approaches, has substantially deepened our understanding of functional mechanisms in seed development and agronomic performance traits for crucial crops including wheat, canola, pea, lentil, and flax.

About the Collection

BMC Genomic Data is calling for submissions to our collection, Omics of crops.

Advancements in genomics and omics technologies have revolutionized the study of crops, including maize, wheat, and other essential food supply crops. These technologies have enabled comprehensive analyses of crop genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes, providing insights into crop optimization, disease resistance, and synthetic biology approaches for enhancing crop traits.

Continuing to advance our collective understanding in this area is crucial for addressing global food security challenges. Recent advances have elucidated the genetic basis of important crop traits, facilitated the development of molecular breeding strategies, and enhanced our understanding of crop responses to environmental stressors. Furthermore, omics approaches have accelerated the identification of key genes and pathways involved in crop development and adaptation.

Future research in this field holds the potential for leveraging omics data to develop precision breeding techniques, engineer crops with enhanced nutritional value, and improve resilience to climate change and emerging pathogens. Additionally, ongoing research efforts may lead to the development of innovative synthetic biology approaches for sustainable crop production and food security.

We invite submissions encompassing a wide array of topics, including but not limited to:

Genomic and omics studies of specific crop species
Molecular breeding strategies for crop improvement
Crop responses to environmental stressors
Identification of key genes and pathways involved in crop development and adaptation
Precision breeding techniques using omics data
Engineering crops for enhanced nutritional value
Synthetic biology approaches for sustainable crop production
Resilience to climate change and emerging pathogens

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 13: Climate Action

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles and Data Notes. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Omics of crops" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.