Zhen Li , Shaomin Yang , Xingzhu Feng

Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4   
Received: 19 Jun., 2024    Accepted: 22 Jul., 2024    Published: 30 Jul., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Dragon fruit, belonging to the Hylocereus species, is gaining attention for its economic value and nutritional benefits, as well as its resilience to drought conditions. Recent advancements in functional genomics have opened new avenues for breeding applications aimed at enhancing key traits in dragon fruit. The characterization of genetic relationships among dragon fruit accessions using morphological traits and ISSR markers has revealed significant genetic diversity, which is crucial for breeding programs. The draft genome of Hylocereus undatus has provided insights into whole-genome duplication events and the co-localization of betacyanin biosynthetic genes, which are important for fruit coloration and antioxidant properties. Additionally, the evaluation of genetic variability in interspecific dragon fruit hybrids through morphological traits has identified promising candidates for breeding. These genomic resources and analyses are instrumental in developing improved dragon fruit varieties with enhanced traits such as drought resistance, fruit quality, and nutritional content. The integration of genomic data into breeding strategies promises to accelerate the development of superior dragon fruit cultivars, meeting both agricultural and consumer demands.

Dragon fruit; Functional genomics; Breeding applications; Genetic diversity; Betacyanin biosynthesis