Transgenics: An emerging approach for cold tolerance to enhance vegetables production in high altitude areas

By the 2020, global population is expected to reach 8 billion. Conventional breeding methods alone cannot feed the extra hungry mouths. Despite the successes of the green revolution with substantial strides in food grains production, India is still classified by FAO as a low income, food deficit country, nearly 26 per cent of India's population (268 million) are considered food insecure, consuming less than 80 per cent of minimum energy requirements and account for about a third of the world's population that suffers from chronic hunger. Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to reduce crop losses from pest and diseases, to improve the nutrient efficiency of food and animal feeds; to extend post harvest losses with increased shelf life of fruits and vegetables; and to increase the stress tolerance of crop plants allowing them to tolerate various environmental extremes such as cold and drought. The biotechnology has the potential to enhance the productivity and also extend the cropping period especially in high altitude areas where vegetable cultivation is impossible in severe winter months. Modern Biotechnology has the tools to develop cold tolerant varieties, which enhance the productivity and profitability of farming. It empowers the hill farmers by boosting the productivity and also enhancing their nutritional security. The present article examine the use of cold tolerant genes in vegetables and also tools of biotechnology the DRDO agricultural laboratories employs towards transformation of hill agriculture through development of cold tolerant transgenics in vegetables.