Conventional and new genetic resources for an eggplant breeding revolution.

Abstract

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a major vegetable crop with great potential for genetic improvement owing to its large and mostly untapped genetic diversity. Eggplant is closely related to over 500 species of Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum, belonging to its primary, secondary, and tertiary genepools, and exhibits a wide range of characteristics, including adaptive traits to climate change, that are useful for eggplant breeding. Germplasm banks worldwide hold more than 19,000 accessions of eggplant and related species, most of which have yet to be evaluated. Nonetheless, eggplant breeding using the cultivated S. melongena genepool has yielded significantly improved varieties. To overcome current breeding challenges and adaptation to climate change, a qualitative leap forward in eggplant breeding is necessary. The initial findings from introgression breeding in eggplant indicate that unleashing the diversity present in eggplant relatives can greatly contribute to a revolution in eggplant breeding. The recent creation of new genetic resources, such as mutant libraries, core collections, recombinant inbred lines (RILs), and sets of introgression lines (ILs) will be another crucial element for an eggplant breeding revolution, which will require the support of new genomics tools and biotechnological developments. The systematic utilization of eggplant genetic resources supported by international initiatives will be critical for a much-needed eggplant breeding revolution to address the challenges posed by climate change.