Genetic markers are important for helping plants resist diseases. However, using them in farming comes with several challenges.

1. The Complexity of Genetic Traits:

• Disease resistance in plants usually involves many genes working together. This means it can be tough to find the exact markers related to resistance.
• The environment also affects how these genes work with diseases, leading to different results in different conditions.

2. Limited Understanding of Plant Genomes:

• Even though we are learning more about plant genetics, there are still many plant genomes that we don’t fully understand. This makes it hard to find and use helpful genetic markers.
• Some plants might have special ways to resist diseases that we haven't figured out yet, making it even trickier to identify the markers.

3. Concerns About Genetic Diversity:

• If farmers focus too much on specific genetic markers, they might lose genetic diversity. This is a problem because if a new disease shows up, the plants might not have enough different defenses to survive.
• Focusing on just a few markers can limit the number of resistances that could be found by looking at a wider range of genetics.

4. Technological and Economic Barriers:

• Many small farmers, especially in developing areas, do not have access to advanced genetic tools and technologies. This makes it hard for them to use genetic marker-assisted methods.
• The high costs of research, development, and using marker-based approaches can stop investment in these important areas.

Potential Solutions:

• More investment in research can help us understand plant genomes and how they interact with diseases, leading to better markers.
• Creating open-access tools and resources for plant genetics could help more farmers use these technologies, making farming stronger in their communities.
• Working together with universities, businesses, and farmers could lead to new ideas and better access to important tools.

In conclusion, while genetic markers offer great potential for improving how plants resist diseases, we need to overcome several challenges to make the most of them in sustainable farming.