About this Research Topic
The current global situation of climate change is affecting the number of abiotic and biotic stress factors crop fields face, alongside the increasing population, there is an increased necessity to guarantee sustainable food production. Fruit tree breeding programs address issues such as low fruit load, fruit quality, postharvest fruit life, disease management, adaptation to high-density crops, etc, but breeding programs in these plants are hampered for long juvenile phases, which can lengthen and difficult the breeding programs. Therefore, this makes fruit trees good targets for applying new biotechnological techniques to improve crop yield. We are currently living in a biotechnology development advancement time, especially thanks to new editing techniques; but the application of these technologies in trees is not easy, due to the recalcitrant nature that usually is associated with woody plants. Therefore, is important to know what the current situation of biotechnology applications for fruit tree improvement is, beyond traditional plant breeding approaches.
The objective of this Research Topic is to know the current situation regarding the improvement of fruit tree crops using plant biotechnologies by transgenic and genome editing. We are interested in knowing the results of the current application of these technologies in fruit trees, from traditional techniques, such as obtaining libraries of mutations and somaclonal variations as a variation resource, to recent editing technologies, such as the application of CRISPR and tools related to its application. It is known that the application of most plant biotechnologies is species and even genotype-specific, so the development and adaptation of these technologies to different species of fruit trees are of interest too. The characters addressed and the advantages achieved in the improvement of these species will also be of interest in this issue.
Authors are encouraged to submit original research, mini-reviews, reviews, and opinion articles on the following topics relating to the application of plant biotechnologies in fruit trees by transgenic and genome editing:
• Application of plant biotechnologies in fruit trees
• Development of new plant biotechnologies, and application and adaptation of previously described techniques in fruit trees
• Improvements achieved in fruit trees species through the application of plant biotechnologies
The applications discussed can be focused on the improvement of the following topics of fruit tree improvement but are not limited to:
• Flowering time/juvenile phase time
• Post-harvest fruit life
• Fruit quality
• Fruit load/Alternate bearing
• Limiting the impact of abiotic or biotic stress
• Adaptation to high-density crops
Please note papers on traditional plant breeding approaches will not be accepted in this Research Topic.
The objective of this Research Topic is to know the current situation regarding the improvement of fruit tree crops using plant biotechnologies by transgenic and genome editing. We are interested in knowing the results of the current application of these technologies in fruit trees, from traditional techniques, such as obtaining libraries of mutations and somaclonal variations as a variation resource, to recent editing technologies, such as the application of CRISPR and tools related to its application. It is known that the application of most plant biotechnologies is species and even genotype-specific, so the development and adaptation of these technologies to different species of fruit trees are of interest too. The characters addressed and the advantages achieved in the improvement of these species will also be of interest in this issue.
Authors are encouraged to submit original research, mini-reviews, reviews, and opinion articles on the following topics relating to the application of plant biotechnologies in fruit trees by transgenic and genome editing:
• Application of plant biotechnologies in fruit trees
• Development of new plant biotechnologies, and application and adaptation of previously described techniques in fruit trees
• Improvements achieved in fruit trees species through the application of plant biotechnologies
The applications discussed can be focused on the improvement of the following topics of fruit tree improvement but are not limited to:
• Flowering time/juvenile phase time
• Post-harvest fruit life
• Fruit quality
• Fruit load/Alternate bearing
• Limiting the impact of abiotic or biotic stress
• Adaptation to high-density crops
Please note papers on traditional plant breeding approaches will not be accepted in this Research Topic.
Keywords: fruit trees, fruit tree improvement, fruit tree biotechnology, transgenic biotechnology, genome editing
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
