In Vitro Culture for Small Fruits Plants: Challenges and Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Small fruits, particularly Vaccinium spp. (blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries, etc.), Rubus spp. (raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, etc.), and Ribes spp. (currants and gooseberries), are experiencing a continual increase in consumption for both fresh market consumption and processing. These fruits are recognized as an excellent source of health-promoting nutrients, including dietary fibers, antioxidants, antibacterial, and antifungal compounds, thus classifying them as functional foods. The rising consumption of small fruits has led to an increase in their cultivation, consequently driving up the demand for quality nursery plant material. To meet this demand, in addition to traditional vegetative propagation techniques, in vitro culture has emerged as a valuable and widely used method for the production and breeding of Vaccinium spp., Rubus spp., and Ribes spp. plants. Micropropagation, in particular, enables the large-scale production of clonal plantlets. Compared to traditional asexual propagation methods, micropropagation offers several advantages, including the high genetic and sanitary quality of the propagated material, the ability to produce a large number of plants in a small space and in a short time, and independence from seasonal variations. In addition, in vitro tissue culture technologies play a crucial role in the genetic improvement of small fruit plants. Somaclonal variation, genetic transformation, and genome editing allow targeted modification of genes involved in desired traits, such as disease resistance, environmental stress tolerance, and enhancement of nutritional and organoleptic qualities. Tissue cultures also provide a versatile experimental system for studying biosynthetic pathways, enabling large-scale production of secondary metabolites. These in vitro technologies serve as essential tools for advancing research and developing new varieties of small fruits with improved traits in terms of yield, nutritional quality, and resistance to adverse environmental conditions.

Dr. Luca Regni
Dr. Cristian Silvestri
Guest Editors

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• small fruits
• micropropagation
• in vitro culture
• blueberry
• raspberry
• blackberry
• genetic transformation
• new plant breeding techniques
• tissue culture