Agrobacterium-mediated in planta transformation of horticultural plants: Current status and future prospects

Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation is the leading technology for plant genetic engineering and gene functional analysis. Recently, various tissue culture-independent Agrobacterium-mediated in planta transformation (AMIPT) methods, such as floral dipping, seed inoculation, ovary/fruit injection and meristem/incision inoculation, have been successfully applied to numerous plant species. In this review, the current status and progress of the applications of AMIPT in horticultural plants and factors influencing its efficiency are described. Additionally, prospects for its future application in horticultural plants are presented. This will help to extend the use of AMIPT in a broader range of horticultural plant species for the purpose of genetic engineering and breeding.