Bioscience Methods 2025, Vol.16, No.6, 289-298 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/bm 296 become clear. Their functions in responding to stress are becoming increasingly clear, providing practical references for future breeding design. More importantly, the integration among different omics (such as genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics) has enabled us to have a more systematic understanding of the way tea trees resist adversity. But things don't always go so smoothly. After all, tea trees are perennial crops. The breeding cycle can be delayed for several years. Verifying a trait relies on experience and waiting slowly. This is very difficult to advance in the pace of industrialization. Let's talk about resources - the mutant library is incomplete and the transformation system is unstable. Compared with those "laboratory darlings" model crops, the foundation of tea trees in functional genomics is still far behind. There is another practical issue: the genes you can find are one thing, but whether they can be put to use is another. The network mechanism behind resistance regulation is complex and the epigenetic factors are also unclear. Relying solely on omics data cannot be quickly transformed into feasible breeding solutions. Even if the technology is up to par, genetically modified organisms and gene editing still have to face the two thresholds of policy regulation and public acceptance. It is almost impossible for them to be implemented quickly. By the way, these problems are not unsolvable either. To shorten the distance between the laboratory and the field, it is not about making breakthroughs at a single point, but about integrating multiple technical routes. For instance, building an integrated breeding platform - combining omics analysis, genotyping and phenotypic screening - can significantly enhance the efficiency of identifying and deploying resistance genes. Furthermore, the germplasm resource bank also needs to make up for its shortcomings, especially in some local tea trees and wild species, which may contain key resistance alleles. The transformation technology can no longer be delayed. We must have the courage to invest and promote the practical application of new tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 in tea plants. Furthermore, breeding experts, molecular researchers and the industrial end must sit at the same table to discuss and form a synergy, so as to truly transform the achievements at the molecular level into practical resistant varieties. As for the resistance from regulation and the public, it is likely that it still needs to be alleviated through scientific communication and transparent mechanisms. If necessary, a non-GMO approach can also be chosen to take a detour. To truly unlock the potential of these genetic tools, it is not only about technological progress but also about breakthroughs in mechanisms and continuous cooperation. Otherwise, even the most advanced means may get "stuck" at the last mile of application. Acknowledgments I appreciate Dr Hu from the Hainan Institution of Biotechnology for her assistance in references collection and discussion for this work completion Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Ahmad S., Jamil M., Lodhi A., Barati Z., Kakar M., Gao Y., and Zhang W., 2025, RNAi revolution in agriculture: unlocking mechanisms overcoming delivery challenges and advancing sustainable pest control, Pest Management Science, 81(10): 6029-6040. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.70040 An Y., Mi X., Xia X., Qiao D., Yu S., Zheng H., Jing T., and Zhang F., 2023, Genome-wide identification of the PYL gene family of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) revealed its expression profiles under different stress and tissues, BMC Genomics, 24: 646. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-023-09464-5 Baruah P., and Handique G., 2021, Perception of climate change and adaptation strategies in tea plantations of Assam India, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 193(4): 189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-08937-y Cagliari D., Dias N., Galdeano D., Santos E., Smagghe G., and Zotti M., 2019, Management of pest insects and plant diseases by non-transformative RNAi, Frontiers in Plant Science, 10: 1319. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01319 Chen Q., Hu S., Guo F., Zhao H., Wang M., Ni D., Wang Y., and Wang P., 2021, Characterization of the SET DOMAIN GROUP gene family members in Camellia sinensis and functional analysis of the SDG43 gene in abiotic stresses, Environmental and Experimental Botany, 182: 104306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2020.104306
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