ABSTRACT
Medicinal and aromatic plants have therapeutic properties which have long been used to cure and treat common ailments. They are rich in phytoconstituents like phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids and steroids. In recent years, increased use of herbal products and supplements has resulted in overharvesting of both medical and herbal plants. There is a growing concern over rapid resource depletion and scarcity of medicinal plants. Extensive production practice of medicinal plants would offer a constructive solution for sustainable use and can be accomplished through breeding methods. Like other crops, conventional breeding methods and a biotechnological approach provide the opportunity to develop new medical plant cultivars with significant economic and social benefits. This chapter discusses breeding methods, challenges, recent advances and development prospects in terms of breeding of medicinal plants
