Molecular Plant Breeding 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 231-240 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 235 copies and showed signs of being selected during domestication. This contributes to the formation of diverse flowering times (Blackman et al., 2011). Some MADS-box gene mutations have also played an important role in the improvement of reproductive traits in other crops (Schilling et al., 2018). 6.3 Pollination strategies and their influence on cultivar selection Durian is difficult to self-pollinate successfully, and it has obvious self-incompatibility. Different varieties have different self-compatibility, some are completely incompatible, some are partially compatible, and some can self-pollinate but the effect is not good. Generally speaking, artificial pollination and cross-pollination with pollen from other varieties can significantly increase the fruit set rate and make the fruit better. If durian self-pollinates, the result is often deformed fruit, poor seed growth, and high abortion rate (Lim and Luders, 1998). After durian blooms, the time for successful pollination is very short, usually just one night. This period of time is synchronized with the lifespan of the flower itself, so pollination needs to be very timely (Honsho et al., 2007). Moreover, pollination with foreign pollen can not only affect fruit development, but also affect the quality of fruit and seeds through the so-called “cross-flowering effect” (Lim and Luders, 1998). During the domestication of crops, changes in pollination methods (such as whether self-pollination can be achieved) will directly affect the genetic diversity of the variety and its ability to adapt to the environment (Manrique et al., 2019). 7 Yield and Agronomic Performance in Cultivated Durian 7.1 Genetic modifications affecting fruit size and production Fruit size and yield are two of the most important indicators in durian cultivation. These characteristics vary greatly between varieties. For example, the fruits of the “Monthong” variety are generally larger and heavier than those of the “Chanee”, which has a higher carotenoid content (Wisutiamonkul et al., 2017). During fruit development, several genes related to carotenoid synthesis (such as ZDS, LCYE, and LCYB) affect the color and nutritional value of the fruit (Wisutiamonkul et al., 2017). There are now studies using deep learning technology to automatically identify and measure durian fruits. Doing so can help more accurately grade fruits and estimate yields, and also help improve planting efficiency (Figure 2) (Barakat et al., 2023). Figure 2 Durian sizing using SAM (Adopted from Barakat et al., 2023) 7.2 Hormonal regulation of fruit set and ripening The growth and ripening of durian fruit are controlled by a variety of plant hormones. The most critical one is ethylene, which has a direct regulatory effect on fruit ripening. At the same time, auxin is also very important, and
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