Abstract

Horticulture, the branch of agriculture concerned with the cultivation of garden crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants, plays a vital role in global food security, nutrition, and economic development. However, horticultural crop production faces numerous challenges, including increasing biotic stresses from pests and diseases, escalating abiotic stresses due to climate change such as drought, heat, and salinity, and the ever-growing demand for higher yields and improved quality traits to feed a burgeoning global population. Traditional breeding methods, while successful in the past, often face limitations in terms of time, efficiency, and the ability to overcome complex genetic barriers. In recent decades, significant advancements in horticultural breeding technologies have emerged, offering powerful tools to accelerate the development of resilient and high-yielding crop varieties. These advancements encompass a wide range of approaches, from molecular marker-assisted selection and genetic engineering to innovative phenotyping techniques and genomic selection strategies.