Karyotyping: Basics and Application in Forestry

Karyotyping is the method of assessing an organism's chromosomal number and structure, is essential for comprehending the genetic composition of species, especially those used in forestry. This method provides important insights into the genetic diversity, evolution, breeding, and conservation of trees and other forest species by examining their chromosomal features. Karyotypes explain how many chromosomes each organism has and how they appear under a light microscope. Length of the chromosome, centromere location, banding pattern, sex-chromosome variations, and other physical traits can also be determined by karyotyping. At traditional level, by using light microscope, we can study chromosomes but to generate chromosomal data, sophisticated methods like fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and genomic in-situ hybridization (GISH) can be employed. From taxonomical classification to identify different types of abnormalities, karyotyping is important. There is a lack of study related to karyotyping in forestry species. This study summarizes the basics of karyotyping and the work related to it, has been done in forestry species. This review article deals with the importance of karyotyping such as how they contribute to the conservation biology of the forestry species, how it helps in the development of taxonomical identification marker and identification in different types of chromosomal abnormalities. It also covers how karyotyping can be done. From traditional methods i.e use of microscopes to the merge of different recent developments in the area of karyotyping helps not only in enrichment of cytogenetics data but also substitute the genomics and transcriptomics in the area of genetic diversity studies. Basics of karyotyping, different types of banding techniques, protocols of some of the techniques, its methodological developments, and its various applications in forestry have also been discussed in this review. Application of karyotyping in different forestry species is limited. With the advancement of imaging techniques and other genetic tools, biodiversity and forests can be managed sustainably.