Digital and biotechnological interventions in floriculture: A comprehensive review

Floriculture, a rapidly expanding sector of horticulture, plays a vital role in global trade, cultural traditions, employment generation, and economic diversification. However, the industry faces significant challenges including climate variability, pest and disease outbreaks, post-harvest losses, and limitations of conventional breeding. Recent advances in biotechnology such as genetic engineering, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, molecular marker-assisted breeding, and tissue culture have enabled the development of ornamentals with novel colors, enhanced fragrance, extended vase life, and improved stress tolerance. In parallel, digital technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), smart sensors, robotics, and big data analytics are driving precision floriculture, optimizing input use, and enhancing quality monitoring. The integration of these approaches is reshaping floriculture into a science-driven, technology-enabled, and globally competitive industry. Despite regulatory barriers, high infrastructure costs, and adoption challenges in developing regions, the synergistic application of digital and biotechnological interventions offers transformative potential for sustainability, climate resilience, and market innovation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments, challenges, and future perspectives, highlighting the role of integrated innovations in advancing global floriculture.