Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Vegetables, known for their abundant vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, are widely recognized as protective foods. Following China, India has emerged as the second-largest global producer of vegetables, thanks to a systematic initiative launched in the 1970s to enhance vegetable output in the country. While conventional breeding methods have yielded diverse public domain varieties with unique characteristics, the focus has shifted towards an integrated approach to vegetable improvement, incorporating various biotechnological tools for genetic enhancement. Traditional breeding methods, though effective, involve a slow and uncontrolled process of genetic improvement that requires multiple generations to achieve desired traits. In contrast, biotechnological methods offer the advantage of introducing individual genes without any undesirable side effects. Although biotechnological techniques have their limitations, the current development demands a multidisciplinary and coordinated strategy that combines conventional and nonconventional methodologies to meet the growing needs.