International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity, 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 1-9 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmeb 7 6.3 Policy and collaborative efforts for germplasm preservation No matter how many breeding tools there are and how accurate the genetic analysis is, if we really want to protect durian, technology is not enough. Policies and cooperation must also keep up. Some places have already taken action, such as building durian germplasm resource banks and using DNA fingerprints to register the "identity information" of durian. In this way, the origin and characteristics of each durian can be clearly checked, and it is also convenient for management and preservation (Siew et al., 2018). Don’t forget that durian is not just a fruit in Southeast Asia, but also an important economic crop in many countries. Protecting it is not something that any country can do alone. Cooperation between multiple countries and sharing of genetic information are actually quite necessary (Nawae et al., 2023). There is also something that is easily overlooked-pollinators. If small creatures like bats and bees that help pollinate durian are really gone, durian itself will not bear fruit. Therefore, while protecting durian, we must also protect the habitats of these animals. In the final analysis, there must be supporting measures in policy. On the one hand, farmers must be motivated to plant, and on the other hand, the ecological environment cannot be destroyed. Only by taking care of both ends can we continue on the durian path. 7 Concluding Remarks To be honest, the reason why there are so many types of durian cannot be explained by natural evolution alone. Part of it is due to its slow spread in the wild, and the other part is inseparable from people's continuous selection, planting and improvement. It's just that we didn’t understand what the genes in it were before. Now that technology has advanced, many things can be seen more clearly. Tools like SSR and ITS, although they sound a bit professional, are actually helping scientists “look at genes”. What are they looking at? For example, which two durians look alike but have very different genes, or which genes are particularly suitable for breeding. This technology is now not only used for classification, but also for picking out good varieties for special planting. However, wild durian cannot be ignored. Although it is not planted by humans, the genetic resources in it are not inferior at all, and some are even more important than artificial ones. In places like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, there are still many wild species. Although no one cares whether they bear fruit or not, they are definitely treasures in terms of genetic diversity. There is also a very interesting discovery. Scientists noticed during their research that there are actually overlaps in the genes of durian and some of its relatives. This shows that they actually “walked together” for a period of time on the road of evolution in the early years. There is actually no clear distinction between wild and artificial, and there has always been genetic exchange between them. This process was not arranged by anyone, but was promoted by nature, animals, and human activities. Now that there is more research, we are slowly figuring out how durian has become what it is today step by step. But understanding is not enough. If you want durian to flourish in the future, you can't just focus on a few mainstream varieties. Otherwise, it may end up like - the whole market has the same taste and the same appearance. It is better to do it early than to say it early about protecting diversity. When there is really only “one durian” left, it may be too late. It's not too late to start now. Molecular biology and genetic technology are becoming more and more powerful. Whole genome sequencing, transcriptome analysis, and various molecular marker tools can help us find genes related to disease resistance, fruit quality, drought resistance, or flood resistance. In the future, if these research results are used in breeding, new durian varieties that are more delicious and more disease-resistant can be selected. However, technology alone is not enough. We also need to build seed storage and set up some wild protection areas to prevent the growth environment of durian from being destroyed. In particular, urban expansion should not be too fast, otherwise the living space of wild durian will become smaller and smaller. Southeast Asian countries should also strengthen cooperation. Everyone should communicate and share experiences more. Only in this way can the cultivation and protection of durian continue in a long-term and stable manner. Whether durian can continue to grow is not up to one person alone. This is a complicated matter, and it is not something that can be achieved by just one person’s efforts. Someone has to do the science, the policy has to keep up, the farmers have to have a solution, and the planting method cannot remain unchanged. Sometimes, when people talk about protecting durian, they first think of protecting the tree. But in fact, the most valuable thing is the genes hidden in the durian. They are like spare parts. They seem useless now, but they may come in handy in
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