Plant Gene and Trait 2025, Vol.16, No.1, 15-22 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/pgt 15 Research Insight Open Access Application of Superior Trait Screening and Molecular Marker-Assisted Breeding inSapindus Jie Zhang, Jianhui Li Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang Colloge of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: jianhui.li@jicat.org Plant Gene and Trait, 2025, Vol.16, No.1 doi: 10.5376/pgt.2025.16.0002 Received: 17 Dec., 2024 Accepted: 20 Jan., 2025 Published: 29 Jan., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Zhang and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Zhang J., and Li J.H., 2025, Application of superior trait screening and molecular marker-assisted breeding in Sapindus, Plant Gene and Trait, 16(1): 15-22 (doi: 10.5376/pgt.2025.16.0002) Abstract This study expounds the basic principles of screening superior traits, introduces the practices of field experiments, combines the association analysis of traits and genes, as well as whole-genome sequencing, and further clarifies the genetic mechanism behind the good traits of Sapindus. By analyzing some successful cases of Sapindus breeding, the importance of MAS technology in the breeding process is illustrated. Through MAS technology, a considerable amount of practical breeding work has been carried out, significantly enhancing the efficiency and success rate of breeding. New tools such as whole-genome selection (GS) and big data analysis may play a greater role in precision breeding in the future. This study aims to bring new ideas to the breeding of Sapindus and also provide references for the molecular breeding of other economic plants. Keywords Sapindus; Superior trait selection; Marker-assisted selection (MAS); Gene-trait association; Whole-genome analysis 1 Introduction Sapindus, also known as “soapberry”, is a plant with many uses and high value. Its most significant economic value lies in its ability to produce saponins. Saponins are often used in natural detergents, medicines and cosmetics because of their bactericidal and foaming effects (Gupta et al., 2017). Sapindus can also help improve soil quality, absorb carbon dioxide and prevent desertification. It is a very useful plant for sustainable land management (Jain et al., 2018). Sapindus is also often used for tree planting and afforestation because of its strong ability to adapt to the climate, especially in some areas with severe environmental degradation, and the effect is very good (Li et al., 2019). Zhang et al. (2020) and Wang et al. (2021) hold that the key to improving plants with economic and ecological value like Sapindus lies in quickly identifying superior traits and applying advanced breeding techniques. Traditional breeding often fails to achieve satisfactory results when dealing with complex traits such as high saponin content, drought resistance, and disease resistance, which are controlled by multiple genes. However, these traits are crucial for enhancing the utilization value of Sapindus. In the research conducted by Zhang et al. in 2020, it was demonstrated that molecular marker technology has made significant progress, enabling the breeding process to become more precise and efficient. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) can combine the actually observed traits and molecular data, accelerate the breeding speed, and select good varieties more accurately (Wang et al., 2021). Jain et al. (2018) and Li et al. (2019) demonstrated that these technologies are helpful in enhancing the economic value and environmental adaptability of Sapindus, and also provide support for achieving greener and more sustainable agricultural development. This study expounded on target traits such as high yield, strong stress resistance and high saponin content. Through genetic analysis, stable connections between these traits and molecular markers were established, and the application of MAS technology in actual breeding projects was demonstrated, hoping to improve the efficiency, accuracy and promotion possibility of Sapindus breeding. This study aims to combine the screening of superior traits with molecular marker-assisted breeding (MAS) to solve some problems encountered in traditional Sapindus breeding.
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