Open AccessThe use of biotechnology in hop (Humulus lupulus L.) improvement
Author(s) -
J. Faragó,
Ivana Pšenáková,
Natália Faragová
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nova biotechnologica et chimica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.212
H-Index - 9
eISSN - 1339-004X
pISSN - 1338-6905
DOI - 10.36547/nbc.1137
Subject(s) - humulus lupulus , hop (telecommunications) , aroma , xanthohumol , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , botany , callus , micropropagation , shoot , tissue culture , food science , in vitro , computer science , computer network , biochemistry
Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) is a clonally propagated, dioecious, perennial, climbing plant used commercially for their secondary metabolites. The resins containing α- and β-acids, and essential oils produced by the lupulin glands, present on the female flowers are used to add bitterness, aroma and flavour to beer. Recently, flavonoids, including chalcones and flavanones, of hops have been shown to exert a variety of biological activities, including oestrogenic and anticancerogenic characteristics. In this review, we provide a overview of the techniques and opportunities presented by the integration of plant biotechnology into hop improvement. The use of tissue culture techniques such as micropropagation, meristem culture, in vitro storage, adventitious shoot induction, callus culture and cell suspension culture in hops are briefly reviewed. The usefullness of genetic transformation technology to introduce novel traits into hop is also discussed.