Читать книгу Biotechnology of Fruit and Nut Crops - Группа авторов - Страница 165

Until recently, the date palm was considered to be an orphan crop and there were only a few studies about its molecular biology and biotechnology applications. In vitro propagation methods, using both shoot tip culture and somatic embryogenesis produce millions of trees annually. Methods for short- and long-term conservation ex situ provide tools for conservation of genetic diversity and exchange of plant material. Genome draft assemblies and comparison of the sequences of many cultivars, transcriptomic analyses of tissues under various conditions and stresses, development of numerous molecular markers, advances of in vitro culture as well as physiological studies have provided better understanding of this species. The mechanism for sex determination in date palms is known and can serve as a model for understanding sex determination in other plants. The identification of wild date palms and elucidation of the germplasm structure have implications about its domestication. Since date palms are among the first tree crops to have been domesticated, it will also have a broader impact on studying the domestication process of other crops.

Understanding heritability of quality traits in dates is only starting to emerge, but future enhanced marker-assisted breeding and generation of elite clones with higher productivity, fruit quality and resistance will follow. Combining transformation and generation of transgenic lines, genomic editing and additional new emerging techniques will facilitate the generation of better cultivars with resistance to the major diseases and pests.