Laurel (Laurus nobilis L.): A less-known medicinal plant to the world with diffusion, genomics, phenomics, and metabolomics for genetic improvement

Medicinal plants have gained the world’s attention due to their application in various ways. Laurel (Laurus nobilis. L) is a very important medicinal plant of the Mediterranean region. Traditionally this plant has been successfully used in medicine, and its essential oil has great importance. Genomics, breeding, and metabolomics of different crops have remained the main focus of researchers, which made this plant to less known to the world. Most of the researchers only worked about the essential oil and its antibacterial and antioxidant activities. However, still almost no work has been done about the breeding aspects of this important plant. The present review offers an overview about the origin, diffusion, genomics, phenomics, breeding, and metabolomics of laurel. This information would be very helpful for the researchers who are interested in the breeding of this plant. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018