Biotechnological interventions in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a widely cultivated vegetable crop on account of its medicinal and nutritional value and various region-based culinary preparations. The crop is infested by a plethora of biotic and abiotic stresses besides barriers in gene transfer from wild sources. Biotechnological techniques such as micropropagation, in vitro androgenesis, in vitro grafting, somatic hybridisation, marker-assisted breeding and genetic engineering to combat biotic and abiotic stresses such as Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation for resistance against insects and diseases have been successfully utilised in eggplant improvement programmes. The review shall help eggplant breeders to plan improvement experiments utilising biotechnological techniques in combination with conventional breeding methods. All the tissue culture, molecular and genetic engineering accomplishments with respect to eggplant have been discussed.