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Plant genome sequencing needs to go tropical

Nature Reviews Biodiversity volume 1, pages 618–619 (2025)Cite this article

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Whole-genome plant sequencing is heavily biased towards species from temperate regions and species with utilitarian values. An expansion of efforts to include tropical plant species regardless of utilitarian value is essential for advancing scientific discovery, achieving global biodiversity goals and sustaining planetary health, and requires more equitable, inclusive approaches.

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Fig. 1: Whole-genome plant sequencing efforts are not proportionate to plant species diversity in temperate (blues) and tropical (reds) regions, a disparity further compounded by the emphasis on sequencing species with utilitarian value, such as crops and global commodities.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank M. Díazgranados for the database used to create Fig. 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Biodiversity & Evolution, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, USA

    Ana M. Bedoya

  2. Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Felipe Zapata

  3. Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Felipe Zapata

  4. Montgomery Botanical Center, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    María José Sanín

Authors
  1. Ana M. Bedoya
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  2. Felipe Zapata
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  3. María José Sanín
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The authors contributed equally to all aspects of the article.

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Correspondence to María José Sanín.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Bedoya, A.M., Zapata, F. & Sanín, M.J. Plant genome sequencing needs to go tropical. Nat. Rev. Biodivers. 1, 618–619 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-025-00083-4

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