Improving the Antioxidant Potential of Berry Crops Through Genomic Advances and Modern Agronomic and Breeding Tools

The growing demand for sustainable, health-promoting foods has intensified efforts to improve the antioxidant potential of berry crops through integrative agronomic, genomic, and breeding innovations. Berries are rich dietary sources of bioactive compounds that support human health and provide benefits far beyond basic nutrition. This review explores the diversity of major berry crops, including blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, and grapes, with emphasis on their nutritional value and antioxidant profiles. It also examines their domestication history, wild relatives, and commercial cultivars, offering insight into the genetic and phenotypic diversity underlying their rich chemical composition. Furthermore, the review highlights the application of modern tools to enhance antioxidant content. By integrating agronomic practices such as seed priming and grafting, advanced molecular breeding technologies, including multi-omics, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and genome editing, breeders and researchers can accelerate the development of high-value berry cultivars that combine superior nutritional quality, resilience to environmental stress, and sustainable productivity under the challenges posed by climate change.