Temperate vegetable crops

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 37 - 63
• Main Authors: Wijbrandi, J., de Both, M.T.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.1993
• Subjects: AGROBACTERIUM TUMEFACIENS; ALLIUM; GENE TRANSFER; GENETIC TRANSFORMATION; HORTALIZAS (PLANTAS); PLANTE LEGUMIERE; TEMPERATE ZONES; TRANSFERENCIA DE GENES; TRANSFERT DE GENE; TRANSFORMACION GENETICA; TRANSFORMATION GENETIQUE; VEGETABLE CROPS; ZONA TEMPLADA; ZONE TEMPEREE
• ISSN: 0304-4238; 1879-1018
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-4238(93)90024-K

Many vegetable crops are cultured in the temperate climate zones. The major vegetable crop species belong to 21 genera and eight families. Gene introduction in each of these crops requires reproducible and efficient methods for genetic transformation and plant regeneration. For all major crop species plant regeneration systems have now been established. However, the efficiencies are often low. Except for the Allium species, all crops are amenable to transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Successful gene transfer, mostly of reporter genes, has been reported in 16 species (14 genera, seven families). The progress in developing genetic transformation for a particular crop clearly depends on its economic importance and on its capacity of efficient plant regeneration after gene transfer. In some crops agronomically useful characteristics have been introduced, notably herbicide resistance and virus tolerance. The crop for which most success has been achieved in this respect is the cultivated tomato, the economically most important vegetable crop worldwide.