Genetically Modified Horticulture Plants
Summary
Genetically modified (GM) horticultural plants encompass a range of techniques—from classical transgenics to precision genome editing—aimed at introducing, enhancing or silencing genes that control yield, quality, stress tolerance and post-harvest traits. Transgenic approaches transfer foreign DNA under specific promoters to confer insect or disease resistance, herbicide tolerance or nutritional enhancements. Marker-assisted and genomic selection exploit single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for accelerated breeding. More recently, site-directed nucleases such as CRISPR/Cas9, TALENs and zinc-finger nucleases have enabled targeted introduction of small insertions, deletions or base changes without foreign DNA footprints. Collectively, these innovations support the development of climate-resilient varieties, extended shelf life, improved flavour and enhanced nutritional value while reducing chemical inputs and food losses.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent genomic analyses of cultivated strawberry breeding lines have quantified the extraordinary gains achieved over the past century. Using long-term pedigree records and genome-wide markers, researchers have shown that introduction of perpetual-flowering alleles in the 1950s and 1970s drove multi-fold increases in fruit yield, firmness and fruit count through transgressive segregation and enhanced additive genetic variation. In parallel, construction of a high-density SNP linkage map in octoploid strawberry has revealed QTLs governing runner production and flowering habit. By aligning ddRAD-seq-derived markers to chromosome-scale assemblies, this work provides breeder-friendly tools to manipulate vegetative propagation and optimize flowering for diverse production systems.
Genetically Modified Horticulture Plants publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetically modified horticulture plants across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Transgenic plant: A plant into which foreign DNA has been stably integrated to confer new traits.
Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): A single base‐pair variation in DNA sequence among individuals, used as a genetic marker.
Quantitative trait locus (QTL): A genomic region associated with variation in a quantitative trait such as yield or flowering time.
Genomic prediction: A statistical approach that uses genome-wide marker data to predict the breeding value of individuals for complex traits.
CRISPR/Cas9: An RNA-guided nuclease system that introduces targeted double-strand breaks for precise genome editing.
References
- High density linkage map construction and QTL mapping for runner production in allo-octoploid strawberry Fragaria × ananassa based on ddRAD-seq derived SNPs. Scientific Reports (2019).
- Genetic gains underpinning a little-known strawberry Green Revolution. Nature Communications (2024).
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