Biotechnological interventions in horticultural crops: a brief review

Abstract

Biotechnology, in the present day context, encompasses a wide range of techniques of employing biological materials and processes to provide useful products. In fact the use of microorganisms for developing useful products for man has its roots from the dawn of civilization. In the broadest sense, it includes the process of making curd, wine, baking breads, breeding plants and animals, production of different biomolecules including antibiotics and so on. However, in recent time, Biotechnology has come to mean to a greater extent the variety of techniques that allow the direct manipulation of genetic materials of organisms. The striking impact of recent developments in biotechnology on plant sciences lies chiefly on overcoming the barrier of natural genetic exchange and fast multiplication of true to the type planting materials. Genes, otherwise difficult to transfer because of inherent barrier are now possible to transfer into newer backgrounds to produce recombinant types. Exploitation of the totipotency of plant cell along with the evolution of techniques of culturing and regenerating plant cell and tissues have revolutionized the modern agriculture in an unprecedented way. Looking back into the recent developments in plant biotechnology and particularly in the area of tangencies we observe much of the developments taking place in agronomic crops i.e. cereals, legumes and oilseeds. Among the agricultural crops, horticultural crops represents the marvels of nature and are playing crucial roles in providing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other supportive biomolecules for life including many medicinal compounds. These groups of plants are also having various types of breeding disadvantages due to complex reproduction behavior. Application of biotechnological tools, in this regard, is of paramount importance in improving horticultural sector than any other sectors in agriculture.