Transgenic Approaches in the Improvement of Seed Oil and Quality in Oil Seed Crops

Abstract

Several million hectares of economically cultivated transgenic crops are currently available. There have been field trials of transgenics from at least 200 species, oil plants (including both annual and perennial) belonging to different plant families. Crops that produce oil seeds are crucial to the agricultural economy. They have a significant role in industrial uses and the human diet, but they are also becoming more significant as a fossil fuel replacement for supplying energy. A number of significant developments in genetic engineering and the identification of gene targets for increasing seed oil content in oilseed crops have occurred during the past 20 years. These developments will help the successful development of new generation high yielding oil crops. A significant portion of the most recent data comes from the examination of patent databases, an excellent source of data on commercial priorities. The timeline for the introduction of these transgenes into breeding populations and their eventual release as novel varieties is also covered in the review.