ISHS Acta Horticulturae 369: Symposium on Small Scale vegetable production and Horticultural Economics in Developing Countries
PROSPECTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN HORTICULTURAL BREEDING |
| Author: | G. A.M. van Marrewijk |
| Abstract:
Plant biotechnology offers an array of techniques for the enhancement of efficiency in crop improvement by: (1) overcoming natural crossing barriers, and (2) speeding up different steps of the breeding procedure. The most promising field of application of plant biotechnology is the creation of novel idiotypes in an asexual way, often indicated as Genetic Manipulation or Genetic Engineering. Various techniques at protoplast fusion, chromosome transplantation, genetic transformation, anti-sense RNA are applied to actualize this goal. Some early striking successes of genetic manipulation in vegetable crops are the introduction of CMS from radish into rape, the insertion of the Bacillus thuringiensis crystal gene in tomato, resulting in resistance to some lepidopterous insects, and resistance to herbicides in various crops. Several other applications will probably become available in the near future. Another rapidly developing field of research is the use of ‘molecular markers’ (RFLPs). Molecular markers enable us to tag target genes and to indirectly select for agronomically important traits. Two example of research fields, viz, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and resistance to pathogens, are chosen to illustrate the potential contribution of genetic manipulation to plant breeding. | |
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