Over the past 20 years, genetic modification and molecular breeding has been successfully used in many different crops to provide agronomic advantages (i.e., herbicide resistance, insect tolerance). However there are many other areas where it can be used for improving a crop, from nitrogen use to drought tolerance, from increased shelf life to improved flavour.

Genetic modification and molecular breeding of tobacco provides a unique tool to quickly evaluate the function of genes within tobacco plants and their value for delivery of new improved varieties. Molecular breeding is a non-GM approach that utilises natural variation that exists within genes and which can give rise to changes in their function with respect to new tobacco types.

Here we present opportunities in tobacco genome/molecular breeding and applications of genetic modification as potential solutions to future challenges.