Breeding Advances and Prospects in Rocket Salad (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa Mill.) Cultivation

Cultivated rocket salad (Eruca vesicaria Mill.) is a fast-growing annual herbaceous plant characterized by leaves with a peculiar pungent taste and strong flavor. The crop, native to the Mediterranean Basin and western Asia, is widespread in all habitable continents as a leafy vegetable. Its consumption can be fresh as a topping on many dishes or mixed in salad packages. Leaves can be an ingredient in preparations such as purees, sauces, pesto or liqueurs. Secondary uses in cosmetics and medicine occur due to related depurative and anti-inflammatory effects. Although it is not an intensive crop, attention must be given to increased productivity. Indeed, appropriate soil preparation and good water availability are necessary to improve the production and the qualitative profile. Rocket salad contains a range of health-promoting compounds including glucosinolates, flavonoids carotenoids, vitamins, fiber and polyphenols. The richness of these compounds suggests a role for rocket in the prevention of common degenerative diseases in human. The content of these phytochemicals is influenced by genotypic factors, cultivation and processing conditions. The overall increase in cultivated area and related consumption requires a concerted effort to create new varieties which are well suited to face the challenges of climate change, emerging diseases or novel trends in consumption. Thus, breeding targets are addressed for the improvement of nutritional properties and shelf life, and to increase resistance to biotic and abiotic factors like diseases, insects, drought and salinity. In this chapter, we present an overview of the origin, economic and nutraceutical importance, genetic resource characterization and conservation, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and breeding objectives of rocket salad.