Xuming Lv , Yeping Han

Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang Colloge of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4   
Received: 27 Jun., 2024    Accepted: 30 Jul., 2024    Published: 07 Aug., 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.

This study reviews the latest progress in genetic improvement of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), with a focus on analyzing key genomics and molecular breeding strategies. Research has pointed out that the limited genetic diversity, self incompatibility, and susceptibility to diseases of loquat severely restrict breeding work. With the rapid development of genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and proteomics, key genes affecting loquat fruit quality, stress resistance, and agricultural traits have gradually been revealed, such as differentially expressed genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and hormone signaling pathways, as well as SWEET and MADS box gene families. Functional genomics methods and gene editing technologies such as CRISPR Cas have shown great potential in precision breeding, but currently still face challenges such as low transformation efficiency. Meanwhile, the application of molecular markers such as SNPs and SSRs has significantly accelerated the breeding of high-quality varieties. Case studies have shown that wild loquat germplasm resources have important value in improving disease resistance and growth vitality, especially the hybrid vigor exhibited by triploid loquat. Future research should focus on the application of emerging genomic tools, global collaboration, and sustainable breeding strategies to develop high-quality and stress resistant loquat varieties that meet market demand. This article emphasizes the necessity of integrating traditional breeding and molecular breeding methods, providing scientific basis and practical suggestions for loquat breeding.

Loquat genetic improvement; Key genes identification; Molecular breeding; Functional genomics; CRISPR-Cas technology