**6.2 Breeding methods**

Fruits and vegetables along with other agricultural commodities are perishable in nature and they have limited shelf life after harvest. Maintaining freshness and shelf life of produce is great challenge for researchers globally in order to achieve maximum economic value. Modern methodologies like breeding approaches play a vital role in minimizing postharvest losses and management. They include domestication, polyploidy breeding, mutation breeding, selection, hybridization etc. Domestication can be defined as bringing the wild plant species under human cultivation. In includes a series of genetic practices that involves storage and shelf life of species as compared to wild counterparts. Introduction of plant species includes widening of genetic base and many species have been bought through introduction includes Kinnow mandarin, Solo papaya, Jonathan apple etc. Mutations either induced or spontaneous are effective way to extend shelf life and reduce postharvest losses. Mutation has been induced in pear in order to increase shelf life of produce. Polyploids on the other hand also possess greater shelf life and polyploidy is an efficient approach to induce desired traits in plants. Sunny Rogue, a variety of grape possess tolerance to pre and postharvest disease resistance and better shelf life in storage conditions. Hybridization is also an efficient technique to minimize postharvest losses. It not only extend shelf life of fruits but also enhances nutritional quality. Several fruits and vegetables have been developed using this technique which includes mango, banana, papaya, onion, tomato etc.
