NEW GENETIC technologies are exhilarating and terrifying. Society might overcome diseases by tweaking individual genomes or selecting specific embryos to avoid health problems. But it may also give rise to "superhumans" who are optimised for certain characteristics (like intelligence or looks) and exacerbate inequalities in society. As in all other disciplines of biology, plant breeding is now in the genomics era, in which paradigm-changing methods are being incorporated to accelerate and improve the efficiency of breeding. Incorporation of genomics into breeding and genetics research has resulted in an increased knowledge base on crop genetics, species diversity, the molecular basis of traits, and the evolutionary history of crop origins from primitive wild species. As in all other disciplines of biology, plant breeding is now in the genomics era, in which paradigm-changing methods are being incorporated to accelerate and improve the efficiency of breeding. Incorporation of genomics into breeding and genetics research has resulted in an increased knowledge base on crop genetics, species diversity, the molecular basis of traits, and the evolutionary history of crop origins from primitive wild species.