The retrospect and prospect of the applications of biotechnology in Phoenix dactylifera L

In Vitro Propagation of Three Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Varieties Using Immature Female Inflorescences

Immature female inflorescences are promising materials for use as explants for the tissue culture of date palm. Four types of MS media were used in this study during the four micropropagation stages-starting media (SM), maturation media (MM), multiplication media (PM) and rooting media (RM)-to micropropagate three elite date palm varieties, Amri, Magdoul and Barhy using the immature female inflorescences as explant. The highest percentage of callus induction in all the varieties studied was obtained on the SM1 (9 µM 2,4-D + 5.7 µM IAA + 10 µM NAA). Culturing on the MM1 (4.5 µM 2,4-D + 9.8 µM 2-iP + 1.5 AC) allowed us to obtain the best value in terms of callus weight. After culturing on the PM1 (4.4 µM BA + 9.8 µM 2-iP) produced the highest numbers of somatic embryos and shoots. The explants on RM2 (0.5 µM NAA + 1.25 µM IBA + 3 g AC) showed the highest root numbers and root lengths, while the highest shoot length was achieved on RM3 (0.5 µM NAA + 0.5 µM IBA + 3 g AC). The Amri variety presented the best response among the three varieties in all parameters, followed by the Magdoul and Barhy varieties. In all the stages of micropropagation, the analysis of variance revealed highly significant variations among varieties and culture media, and a significant difference in the number of roots during the rooting stage. The results also showed non-significant differences in the interaction between varieties and culture media, except for shoot length in the rooting stage. The results also reveal the broad sense heritability ranging from low to high for the measured parameters. It can be concluded that the immature female inflorescences can be used as a productive explant source for successful date palm micropropagation using the SM1, MM1, PM1 and RM2 culture media. It can also be concluded that the success of date palm micropropagation not only depends on the concentrations of growth regulators, but also on their types.

Advancements and prospectives of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) biotechnology

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is the second largest sugar-producing crop (following sugarcane), accounting around 40% of total global sugar output. It has been reckoned with huge contribution in sugar, ethanol, and fodder industries. Since sugar beet is recalcitrant in nature, to address the multifaceted difficulties associated with its conventional propagation, several biotechnological tools and techniques aiming with in vitro-based mass regeneration-cum-genetic enhancement are becoming popular. The implementation of effective methodology for in vitro regeneration from ex vitro explant sources becomes the necessity for successful commercial-scale clonal propagation and genetic modification. Substantial research achievements have been made in the past few decades in connection to the optimization of in vitro protocols for direct and callus-mediated regeneration, homozygous line production, somatic hybridization, and genetic transformation of sugar beet. The current review summarizes several reported findings on various physio-chemical factors responsible for direct, indirect organogenesis, somatic embryogenesis, protoplast culture, haploid culture, acclimatization accountable for plantlet mass multiplication, assessing the genetic integrity of in vitro-cultured plantlets, and, finally, successful transgenic approaches to remediate biotic and abiotic stresses. Furthermore, this study highlights undiscovered regions, research gaps, and major bottlenecks that might be considered in developing significant innovative ideas related to sugar beet biotechnology in the near future. KEY POINTS: • Sugar beet, the second largest sugar producer, is a major contributor in sugar, ethanol, and fodder industries. • Current review comprehensively evaluates diverse factors influencing the success of in vitro biotechnological interventions. • This review further highlights the research gaps and offers way outs to attain comprehensive genetic improvement.

Biotechnology of banana (Musa spp.): multi-dimensional progress and prospect of in vitro-mediated system

Banana (Musa spp.), commonly known as 'Adam fig' and 'Fruit of wise man', is a commercial herbaceous tropical fruit, which governs its antiquity from ancient periods in the Indian and African subcontinent. All parts of the plant, i.e. stem, leaf, root, inflorescence, peel, fruit, and flower, have significant medicinal and nutritional values. Owing to its multitude of uses, it is known as 'Kalpavriksha' (plant of virtues). To combat multi-faceted issues related to traditional propagation, in vitro-based regeneration-cum-genetic improvement approaches become the trend of the hour. The present review illustrates various physico-chemical factors that are responsible for successful in vitro regeneration and acclimatization, protoplast culture, anther and microspore culture, cryopreservation and synthetic seed production, genetic transformation, mutagenesis, and nanotechnological and omics approaches. The key intent of this article is to present an insight on in vitro biotechnological research advances in the past decade, to identify the research gaps, unexplored areas, and major shortcomings associated with banana biotechnology and to highlight the potential approaches to mitigate them. Eventually, this review made salient conclusions and recommendations paving the way forward for the banana researchers to develop innovative ideas in order to enhance the propagation frequency and to ensure the genetic improvement of banana. KEY POINTS: • This review addresses biotechnological interventions in Banana (Musa spp.) for enhanced propagation and quality improvement. • Highlights factors influencing in vitro regeneration, conservation, and genetic transformation. • Provides novel ideas to harness the qualitative and quantitative genetic improvement.

Agri-biotechnology of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.): an inclusive appraisal

Bountiful expression of bioactivity of phytochemicals obtained from spice crops like coriander gifts them the label of being natural antioxidants. It is well-accepted and time-tested towards contributing to human wellbeing. The accomplishment of coriander production is fundamentally influenced by genetic, agroclimatic, and agronomic factors. Despite the fact that there are very restricted options to manage the first two factors, the third one is apparently imperative to arbitrate as far as the elevated yield and enhanced quality are concerned. On the other hand, an indomitable, object-oriented, controlled agrotechnological and biotechnological intervention can also contribute towards better yield and quality of coriander. There are several accounts of the successful use of such technologies in order to genetically improve the qualitative and quantitative indicators of coriander. However, often these areas are not comprehensively explored and utilized. In that context, the present review highlights the botanical features, origin and distribution, multi-dimensional importance, pre- and post-harvest crop management, phytochemical production, and germplasm conservation, including the in vitro-based regeneration methods along with molecular marker-based biotechnological and omics approaches attempted in coriander until date. In addition, the possibility of the yet-to-be-explored agri-biotechnological methods and their potential for genetic improvement of this crop has also been reviewed in this appraisal. KEY POINTS: • Coriander, used both as an herb and spice, is popular in the pharmaceutical and culinary industries. • The current review provides insight into agrotechnological and biotechnological interventions for better yield and quality. • Provides novel ideas to harness the comprehensive qualitative and quantitative genetic improvement based on the potential use of promising biotechnological tools and techniques.

Date Components as Promising Plant-Based Materials to Be Incorporated into Baked Goods—A Review

Date (Phoenix dactylifera L. Arecaceae) fruits and their by-products are rich in nutrients. The health benefits of dates and their incorporation into value-added products have been widely studied. The date-processing industry faces a significant sustainability challenge as more than 10% (w/w) of the production is discarded as waste or by-products. Currently, food scientists are focusing on bakery product fortification with functional food ingredients due to the high demand for nutritious food with more convenience. Utilizing date components in value-added bakery products is a trending research area with increasing attention. Studies where the researchers tried to improve the quality of bakery goods by incorporating date components have shown positive results, with several drawbacks that need attention and further research. The objective of this review is to present a comprehensive overview of the utilization of date components in bakery products and to identify gaps in the current knowledge. This review will help focus further research in the area of valorization of date by-products and thereby contribute to the generation of novel functional bakery products that meet consumer expectations and industry standards, thus generating income for the relevant industry and considerable alleviation of the environmental burden this waste and by-products contribute to. Only a few studies have been focused on utilizing date by-products and their extracts for baked goods, while a research area still remaining under-explored is the effect of incorporation of date components on the shelf life of bakery products.

Improving Fruit Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Storage Life of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L., cv. Barhi) Using Natural Elicitors

“Barhi” date fruit is highly appreciated and widely consumed at the Bisr stage (first edible stage) of maturity. However, maintaining its quality for long periods of time after harvest and throughout marketing is a substantial challenge. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of preharvest spray treatments of 1% chitosan (Ch) in conjunction with 3% calcium chloride (Ca) and 2 mM salicylic acid (SA) on “Barhi” fruit’s shelf life, quality, and phytochemical composition at harvest and during cold storage. All treatments significantly delayed the ripening and decay of “Barhi” dates compared to controls. Ch treatment, followed by Ch + SA and Ch + SA + Ca, showed the lowest weight loss. Ch + Ca, Ch + SA + Ca, and Ch + SA treatments showed significantly lower levels of total soluble solids (TSS) compared to the control fruit. Ch + Ca and Ch + Ca + SA treatments showed no decayed fruit after 60 days of cold storage. At the end of storage time, the Ca treatment, followed by Ch + Ca + SA, showed the greatest total phenolic (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and tannin (TTC) contents. Ch + SA + Ca, Ch + SA, and Ch showed significantly higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activities compared to controls. Based on these findings, these treatments may be recommended to prolong the shelf life of “Barhi” date fruit.

Tissue culture-based genetic improvement of fava bean (Vicia faba L.): analysis on previous achievements and future perspectives

Fava bean is an extremely important legume and serves immense potential to function as an ingredient as pulse proteins in human diet. Bearing the proficiency of yielding magnanimous amount of functional and nutritional ingredients, this bean deserves to replace any other leguminous crop too. The instability of fava bean in its yield makes breeding for crop improvement difficult, and its high susceptibility to a number of abiotic and biotic stresses additionally results in unstable yields. The self-incompatibility leads to the formation of a limited genetic pool and shows a slow progress in breeding. The plant is highly recalcitrant, making it an onerous task to micropropagate or regenerate fava beans under in vitro conditions. Another fly in the ointment is the release of phenolic compounds by the plant. There are several endeavours that have been made to establish in vitro regeneration, protoplast culture, and genetic transformation and to genetically improve this plant. Nonetheless there are a number of promising cutting-edge technologies that are yet to be harnessed in order to ensure its comprehensive and sustainable genetic improvement. The in vitro-based technologies of this legume and its untraveled path in the plant tissue culture-mediated approaches can assist further genetic manipulation of this plant species in a smoother manner and at an exponential rate. Creation of a single review comprising all the updates and genetic advancements in fava bean is an absolute necessity of the hour. Thus, the importance of this review remains at the peak as it covers a vast range of information, starting from the basic description to the utmost modern stages of advancement in the selected crop. Overall interpretation of the review is aimed at encouraging readers to focus on almost all possible dimensions of international research, already executed, and is being executed in fava bean, thereby helping to understand the demand and advantages of the crop, even at the molecular level.Key points• Fava bean, commonly known as "poor man's meat", is a protein-rich legume with multiple nutritional and pharmacological benefits.• Its highly recalcitrant response makes in vitro interventions quite challenging for its genetic improvement.• This review delves into biotechnological interventions for its advancements to date and highlights major hurdles and potential research solutions to ensure comprehensive genetic improvement.

Synergistic Effect of Preharvest Spray Application of Natural Elicitors on Storage Life and Bioactive Compounds of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L., cv. Khesab)

Despite the immense capabilities of the date palm, maintaining the fruit’s quality, marketability, and shelf life is still a challenge. This study aimed to assess the synergistic effect of a preharvest spray application of a natural elicitor chitosan, (Ch) 1% alone and in combination with salicylic acid (SA) 2 mM and calcium chloride (Ca) 3%; (Ch,SA, Ca,Ch+Ca, Ch+SA, Ch+SA+Ca), on the quality parameters, storage life, and bioactive compounds content of date fruit from ‘Khasab’ cultivar during cold storage for 60 days. The obtained results revealed that all treatments significantly retard senescence/decay of the fruit compared to the control. Ch+SA treated fruit followed by Ch, and Ch+SA+Ca had the lowest weight loss, color change, and the least decay after 60 days of storage. Ch+Ca, SA, Ca treated fruit had significantly lower levels of total soluble solids and highest total phenolic, tannins, and flavonoids contents compared to the control fruit. Antioxidant activities were found in all treatments, with significantly higher effect in Ch+SA+Ca and Ch+SA compared to the control. Our results provide an evidence for a synergistic effect of elicitors combination to extend the shelf life of date fruit during cold storage by preserving its quality and decreasing senescence/decay and recommend it as a promising strategy.

Advances in biotechnology of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica L.: a nutraceuticals-rich fruit tree with multifaceted ethnomedicinal uses

Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica L., universally known as ‘Amla’ or ‘Aonla’ or ‘Indian gooseberry’, is a popular fruit tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae and order Geraniales. It is said to be the very first tree that originated on earth, as claimed by age-old Indian mythology. Almost all parts of the tree i.e., root, bark, leaf, flower, fruit and seed are utilized in Ayurvedic and Unani medicinal formulations to improve the overall digestive process, decrease fever, act as a blood purifier, relieve asthma and cough, improve heart health, etc. This tree contains major secondary metabolites like emblicanin-A and emblicanin-B, and also is an affluent source of vitamin-C. Additionally, some other secondary metabolites like tannins, gallic acid, pyrogallol, and pectin are also present in significant amounts. Conventional propagation has been improved via suitable interventions of agrotechnology both in production and protection areas. However, the rate of propagation remains slower; therefore, attempts have been made for biotechnological advancements on E. officinalis. The present review makes an attempt to highlight the botanical description, geographical distribution, ethnopharmacological importance, conventional propagation and protection of this medicinal tree, describing the in vitro-based plant organ and tissue culture methods like direct and indirect organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis along with interventions of molecular marker-based biotechnology and nanotechnology. Further, the prospect of the yet-to-be-explored biotechnological methods for secondary metabolite enhancement like cell suspension, protoplast culture, genetic transformation, etc. and their potential for enhanced emblicanin production have also been discussed in this appraisal.

Biotechnological advancements in Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don, also known as Madagascar periwinkle or Sadabahar, is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae. Being a reservoir for more than 200 alkaloids, it reserves a place for itself in the list of important medicinal plants. Secondary metabolites are present in its leaves (e.g., vindoline, vinblastine, catharanthine, and vincristine) as well as basal stem and roots (e.g., ajmalicine, reserpine, serpentine, horhammericine, tabersonine, leurosine, catharanthine, lochnerine, and vindoline). Two of its alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine (possessing anticancerous properties), are being used copiously in pharmaceutical industries. Till date, arrays of reports are available on in vitro biotechnological improvements of C. roseus. The present review article concentrates chiefly on various biotechnological advancements based on plant tissue culture techniques of the last three decades, for instance, regeneration via direct and indirect organogenesis, somatic embryogenesis, secondary metabolite production, synthetic seed production, clonal fidelity assessment, polyploidization, genetic transformation, and nanotechnology. It also portrays the importance of various factors influencing the success of in vitro biotechnological interventions in Catharanthus and further addresses several shortcomings that can be further explored to create a platform for upcoming innovative approaches. KEY POINTS: • C. roseus yields anticancerous vincristine and vinblastine used in pharma industry. •In vitro biotechnological interventions prompted major genetic advancements. • This review provides an insight on in vitro-based research achievements till date. • Key bottlenecks and prospective research methodologies have been identified herein.

Biotechnological Interventions for Ginsenosides Production

Ginsenosides are secondary metabolites that belong to the triterpenoid or saponin group. These occupy a unique place in the pharmaceutical sector, associated with the manufacturing of medicines and dietary supplements. These valuable secondary metabolites are predominantly used for the treatment of nervous and cardiac ailments. The conventional approaches for ginsenoside extraction are time-consuming and not feasible, and thus it has paved the way for the development of various biotechnological approaches, which would ameliorate the production and extraction process. This review delineates the biotechnological tools, such as conventional tissue culture, cell suspension culture, protoplast culture, polyploidy, in vitro mutagenesis, hairy root culture, that have been largely implemented for the enhanced production of ginsenosides. The use of bioreactors to scale up ginsenoside yield is also presented. The main aim of this review is to address the unexplored aspects and limitations of these biotechnological tools, so that a platform for the utilization of novel approaches can be established to further increase the production of ginsenosides in the near future.

Callus culture and plantlet regeneration in date palm (Phoneix dactylifera L.): an important horticultural cash crop for arid and semi-arid horticulture

Phoneix dactylifera L. commonly called date palm is a highly valuable horticultural cash crop for arid and semi-arid regions. The availability of offshoots and their survival during plantation are major concern. Being dioecious tree, seed propagation in date palm do not produce true-to-type offspring and tissue culture propagation is the only viable option to supply quality-planting propagules. Hereby, we report callus culture and plantlet regeneration in female date palm using in vitro-derived adventitious shoot bud tissues as explants. Explants (89.33 ± 2.67%) produced callus culture on 0.8% agar-gelled Murashige and Skoog's basal medium containing 100.0 mg l^-1 each polyvinylpyrrolidone, ascorbic acid and glutamine, 50.0 mg l^-1 each citric acid, adenine sulphate and l-arginine as additives, 0.1% activated charcoal (AC), 100 mg l^-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 3.0 mg l^-1 2-isopentenyladenine (2-iP). Callus culture were amplified on medium containing 3.0 mg l^-1 2-iP along with 50 mg l^-1 2,4-D for 2 passages and 10 mg l^-1 2,4-D for 2 passages. Cultures grew moderately, organized and subsequently regenerated into shoot bud like structures during gradual transfer from medium containing higher concentration of 2,4-D to lower concentration. Plantlets were developed by sub-culturing of differentiated buds on (1) hormone free medium supplied with 10.0% sucrose and (2) medium containing 100.0 mg l^-1 each ascorbic acid and glutamine, 50.0 mg l^-1 each citric acid, adenine sulphate and l-arginine as additives, 1.0 mg l^-1 each 6-benzylaminopurine, kinetin, 2-iP and α-naphthaleneacetic acid. Plantlets were developed on medium containing 0.1% AC, 1.0 mg l^-1 each indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid. Rooted plantlets were soil-transplanted and acclimatized through gradual exposure from in vitro to in vivo conditions. Simple adoption, higher culture regeneration and simultaneous production of rooted plantlets in a cyclic manner render the protocol useful for mass scale propagation of elite genotype of female date palm.

Coleus forskohlii: advancements and prospects of in vitro biotechnology

Coleus forskohlii syn. Plectranthus barbatus is a popular medicinal plant belonging to the family Lamiaceae and order Lamiales. The leaf and root extracts can be utilized for the treatment of various ailments like bronchitis, asthma, hay fever, angina and abdominal disorders. The major metabolite that is found exclusively in the cork cells of the root in C. forskohlii is forskolin, which is used commercially for the treatment of glaucoma, asthma and several heart ailments. The essential oil extracted from the tubers of the plant also exhibits anti-microbial properties. The present review recounts the existing reports on biotechnological approaches like direct, indirect organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis for mass propagation of plantlets; the amelioration of forskolin production through cell suspension and genetic transformation as well as slow growth storage for germplasm conservation. Additionally, the unexplored arenas and the prospective novel approaches are also addressed in this review that can be utilized in designing new experiments in near future on this plant.

Phytotherapeutic potential and pharmaceutical impact of Phoenix dactylifera (date palm): current research and future prospects

Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) is a member of the genus Phoenix belonging to family Arecaceae. It is widely cultivated for its edible fruits and kernels. Dates have been used for both dietary purposes as well as for their phytomedicinal impacts against the variety of diseases. Date fruits are rich in alkaloids, protein, carbohydrate, fatty acid (linoleic, lauric, palmitic, and stearic acid), carotenoids, vitamins, polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins along with different types of nutrients like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Due to the presence of the variety of phytochemicals, they have greater impact on human health. They have strong antioxidant potential. It has been proposed now as a potential source of several unique medical and industrial products. In literature, much information is available on botanical descriptions, agriculture technology, and utilization in therapeutic intervention, but a little description is accessible on phytochemical relevance, formulation strategies, nutritional impact, and bioprocess technology. Therefore, the present review provides comprehensive information on the phytochemical relevance, pharmacology/bioactivity, pharmaceutical impact, their scope in bioprocess technology and nutraceutical values of date palm. According to all collected information, every portion of the plant has some beneficial properties that can serve as a source of medicine and nutraceutical.

Biotechnological interventions on the genus Rauvolfia: recent trends and imminent prospects

Rauvolfia spp., also known as devil peppers, are a group of evergreen shrubs and trees. Among the ~ 76 various species, Rauvolfia serpentina is the most important one as it finds its use as an important medicinal plant. It is commonly known as the Indian snakeroot plant or Sarpagandha. The plant is rich in multiple secondary metabolites. Some of the well-known secondary metabolites are reserpine, ajmaline, ajmalicine, serpentine, yohimbine, etc. Alkaloids are also found in all parts of the plant but the richest sources are the roots. Since ancient times, roots (mainly due to reserpine) have been utilized in various Ayurvedic and Unani medicinal preparations for the treatment of diseases like hypertension, anxiety, insomnia and schizophrenia. Apart from this, there are many other pharmacological and ethnobotanical uses of this plant. There are a number of published reports regarding tissue culture techniques on Rauvolfia spp. The current review mainly illustrates and discusses the various in vitro biotechnological aspects such as direct regeneration, indirect regeneration via callus formation, somatic embryogenesis, synthetic seed production, hairy root culture, polyploidy induction and secondary metabolite estimation, which provides significant ideas regarding the ongoing research activities and future prospects related to the genetic improvement of this genus.