International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 9-18 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 15 from 7 to 8 years to 4 to 5 years, greatly improving the benefits. They also innovated the intercropping model of “durian + coconut”. Coconut trees can provide shade, allowing durian to grow better and improve land utilization. This method can generate more than 100 000 yuan per mu (Tan et al., 2020). In order to enhance the cultural value of durian, Baoting also held events such as the “Tropical Fruit Festival”, combining durian cultivation with local Li and Miao culture and rural tourism to create its own brand. In terms of the industrial chain, in addition to selling fresh fruits, local products such as durian pastry and durian coffee have also been developed. The supporting cold chain logistics system also allows the “tree-ripened” durian to maintain its flavor and quality (Sangpong et al., 2021). Baoting has also established a cooperation model of “scientific research units + enterprises + farmers” to provide technical support and market guarantees. This has allowed the local durian to develop step by step from trial planting to a large-scale planting industry. This case shows that as long as the technology is advanced, the culture is distinctive, and the industrial chain is complete, China can also develop an internationally competitive durian industry. 6.2 Expansion of monthong in non-traditional growing regions Golden pillow (Monthong) is the most planted durian variety in Thailand. It has large fruits, a non-pungent taste, and tastes sweet and mellow, so many consumers like it (Figure 2) (Arsa et al., 2021). Originally, Golden Pillow was mainly planted in eastern and southern Thailand. Now, it has also begun to be planted in non-traditional areas such as Australia, Sri Lanka, and South America. However, to grow durian well in these places, the soil needs to be improved and a good irrigation system is required. For example, growers in northern Australia have adopted drip irrigation technology to solve drought problems. Golden pillow is also considered to be rich in antioxidants, which makes it more attractive as a healthy fruit (Charoenphun and Klangbud, 2022). Figure 2 Local cultivars of Thai durian: monthong (MT), chanee (CN), puangmanee (PM) and kanyao (KN) (Adopted from Arsa et al., 2021) Nawae et al. (2023) found that golden pillow has high genetic diversity. This allows it to adapt to a variety of climates and soils and grow well in different regions. They also pointed out that near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to determine the origin of golden pillow, which helps to ensure stable quality and authenticity identification (Chanachot et al., 2023). 6.3 Performance of hybrid varieties in emerging markets Malaysia's durian industry is vigorously expanding its market in China through breeding innovation and green planting models. The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) has bred several new varieties, such as the early-maturing MDUR 78 and the disease-resistant MDUR 88. These varieties retain the taste of Musang King, but have a shorter fruiting time and a 25% increase in yield. This makes them more competitive in the Chinese market. In order to adapt to the tastes of Chinese consumers, hybrid varieties have also been optimized, such as removing bitterness and adding milky flavor. In cities such as Guangzhou and Shanghai, these varieties can sell for 2 to 3 times the price of golden pillow durian.
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