Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 43-56 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 49 6.3 Challenges and opportunities in transgenic tree development The development of transgenic trees presents both significant challenges and promising opportunities. Transgenic approaches involve the introduction of foreign genes into the genome to confer desirable traits such as pest resistance, improved growth rates, or enhanced wood quality. One of the major challenges in transgenic tree development is the regulatory and public acceptance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which can vary significantly across regions and affect the deployment of transgenic trees in commercial forestry (Ahmar et al., 2021). Figure 2 Genomic selection accuracy (r) scatter plots for growth and wood quality traits for E. grandis (Adopted from Mphahlele et al., 2020) Image caption: Depicted by the grey dots is the relationship between DGV (x-axis) and GEBV (y-axis) demonstrating the accuracy of the training set, while red dots show the relationship between EBV (x-axis) and the GEBV (y-axis) demonstrating the accuracy of the validation set 17 Genomic selection efficiency and genetic gains (Adopted from Mphahlele et al., 2020) Additionally, technical challenges such as gene silencing, off-target effects, and the long generation times of trees can complicate the development and testing of transgenic lines. However, advances in genome editing technologies, particularly CRISPR/Cas9, offer new possibilities for precise and efficient genetic modifications in trees. CRISPR/Cas9 has been used to target specific genes in Populus species, resulting in traits such as reduced lignin content, which is beneficial for biofuel production (Lebedev et al., 2020). The potential benefits of transgenic trees, including increased productivity, resilience to climate change, and reduced environmental impact, highlight the need for continued research and development in this area, along with efforts to address regulatory and public concerns.
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