Abstract
Transgenic technology is increasingly used in forest-tree breeding to overcome the disadvantages of traditional breeding methods, such as a long breeding cycle, complex cultivation environment, and complicated procedures. By introducing exogenous DNA, genes tightly related or contributed to ideal traits—including insect, disease, and herbicide resistance—were transferred into diverse forest trees, and genetically modified (GM) trees including poplars were cultivated. It is beneficial to develop new varieties of GM trees of high quality and promote the genetic improvement of forests. However, the low transformation efficiency has hampered the cultivation of GM trees and the identification of the molecular genetic mechanism in forest trees compared to annual herbaceous plants such as Oryza sativa. In this study, we reviewed advances in transgenic technology of forest trees, including the principles, advantages and disadvantages of diverse genetic transformation methods, and their application for trait improvement. The review provides insight into the establishment and improvement of genetic transformation systems for forest tree species. Challenges and perspectives pertaining to the genetic transformation of forest trees are also discussed.
Highlights
As important plant materials, forest trees are crucial for ecological preservation, climate regulation, building materials, road greening, and energy supply (Trumbore et al, 2015)
It is important and indispensable to understand the parameters of genetic transformation of forest trees and elucidate challenges in transgenic technology, accelerating the application of genetically modified (GM) trees for sustainable development
Genetic engineering has been successfully applied to forest trees including Populus, used as a model plant for gene function research based on the establishment of a complete genetic transformation system (Zhou Y. et al, 2020; Guo et al, 2021)
Summary
Forest trees are crucial for ecological preservation, climate regulation, building materials, road greening, and energy supply (Trumbore et al, 2015). Genetic engineering has been successfully applied to forest trees including Populus, used as a model plant for gene function research based on the establishment of a complete genetic transformation system (Zhou Y. et al, 2020; Guo et al, 2021). Gene gun-mediated, pollen tube pathway, and protoplast transformation methods can be used Mobile genetic techniques, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated (CRISPR-Cas) systems, have recently been applied to forest tree breeding (Shivram et al, 2021). We reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of diverse genetic transformation methods and their application to forest trees for enhancing insect, disease, and abiotic-stress resistance. This review provides insight into the establishment and improvement of genetic transformation systems for forest tree species
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