Functional genomics in fruit trees.

This review focuses on the main advances recently made in functional genomics of the most economically important fruit tree species worldwide. We describe recent developments in the fi eld of the "-omics" technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) and reverse genetics approaches. Particular attention is paid to the main studies concerning valuable improvement of protocols and significant applications of stable transformation techniques; VIGS methods are also detailed, being an innovative and promising approach to functional genomics studies even in important fruit tree species. The results reported in this chapter must necessarily be referred to the moment it has been written, i.e. the end of 2012: many other works may have been published thereafter, testifying the strong scientific appeal exerted by functional genomics and its potentialities.