Italian horticulture, fruitculture and floriculture may gain fundamental role by new opportunities offered by genetics and genomics

Abstract

Horticulture, fruitculture and floriculture in Italy have the opportunity to highlight the Italian research on plant genomics, following a fruitful series of investments leading to the sequencing of the grapevine genome, and today to the peach and apple genomes, with further species of economical interest that will follow. Plant genomics recover the Italian role of Italy on genomics, and pose the basis for advanced research which needs further efforts to see the workflow completed, from assisted breeding to applied biotechnology. Successful example of research work made by Italian institutes in plant genomics of horticulture, fruitculture and floriculture will follow.