Protoplast technology and somatic hybridization in strawberry

Limited natural resources and various challenges in agricultural production areas make it difficult to meet the ever-increasing demand for food.
The development of cultivars resistant to biotic and abiotic stress factors can increase agricultural yields and facilitate adaptation to climate change.
Genotype differences can increase productivity and commercial value, especially in fruits that have strategic importance in terms of yield and quality, such as strawberries.
Traditional breeding methods have been widely used to improve crop yield and quality, but their limitations in addressing these challenges need biotechnological approaches.
Modern biotechnological tools enable the introduction of novel traits, such as pest resistance or drought tolerance, into plants using molecular and cellular techniques.
Techniques such as embryo culture, protoplast culture, and somatic hybridization have enriched genetic diversity and advanced plant breeding programs.
Somatic hybridization involves combining the nuclear and cytoplasmic DNA of two plants via protoplast fusion.
This technique allows the transfer of desirable traits without requiring detailed genetic knowledge of the target genes.
This study focuses on protoplast isolation, fusion techniques, and regeneration protocols that can be used in strawberries.

International Symposium on Biotechnological Tools in Horticulture

N.E. Kafkas, S. Ates, N. Nasır, B. Mezzetti

breeding, strawberry, protoplast, protocol

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2026.1454.56