Breeding and Biotechnology of Flowers: Vol. 02

Flowers are an invaluable gift that enhances the beauty of nature with its diverse colors and contributes to human well-being. Ornamental plants play a crucial role in providing environmental security for immediate living surroundings, which led to the initiation of extensive research in floriculture, particularly on crop plants. This book elucidates the application of genetics and breeding in flower crops, covering a broad range of aspects. The breeding techniques primarily focus on accelerating the production of superior and stable lines in self-pollinating crops. Breeders employ various methods, such as wide hybridization, tissue culture, and mutagenesis, to generate new alleles and broaden the available genetic resources. Molecular markers are used to assist breeders through marker-assisted selection and to identify quantitative trait loci for traits of interest. This book aims to provide readers with an accessible understanding of the breeding process and its objectives, different breeding methods, methodology for improving specific crops, stress resistance, quality improvement, mutagenesis, molecular breeding, and genetic engineering.