Advances in genetic modification of tea

Description

Due to its botanical characteristics, genetic improvement of tea is slow. Its high gestation period, the difficulty of producing homozygous lines, and the non-availability of mutant genotypes and a mapping population are all hindrances to development. This chapter describes and evaluates the potential of genetic transformation as an alternative for varietal improvement of tea, via the deployment of agrobacterium and particle bombardment. The chapter describes in detail progress global progress on research into transgenic tea.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Conventional tea propagation 3 The need for genetic transformation 4 Transformation systems 5 Methods of transformation 6 Conclusion and future trends 7 Where to look for further information 8 References