Genetic diversity analysis with 454 pyrosequencing and genomic reduction confirmed the eastern and western division in the cultivated barley gene pool.

Many challenges remain in the application of next-generation sequencing technologies including sampling complex genomes, identifying single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and analyzing missing data. This study presented a practical application of Roche 454 GS FLX Titanium technology in combination with genomic reduction and an advanced bioinformatics tool to analyze genetic relationships of 16 diverse barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces.