ABSTRACT
During the past century, plant breeding and genetics have contributed significantly to improve nutritive value of horticultural and agronomic crops. Crop nutritive value is influenced by available cultivars, as well as production and postharvest environments. Significant strides have been made, especially in altering content of macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and oils in crop plants. Current research on improving phytonutrient content includes greater focus on study and assignment of health-promoting properties to micronutrients as well. A vast number of phytonutrients have been identified which are believed to impart health benefits. Relatively few of these phytonutrients, however, are well proven to impart this function. Of this large group of compounds, the genetics of biosynthesis and accumulation is well characterized in relatively few examples. The knowledge required by plant breeders and geneticists to improve plant nutritive value requires input from many disciplines to contribute to the improvement of health benefits. These disciplines include nutrition, food science, medicine, postharvest physiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry.
