Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 54-61 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 57 resistance or other good characteristics. This is particularly important for medicinal plants because the content and composition of active ingredients in different plants vary greatly. With these markers related to characteristics, breeders can select plants that consistently produce high-quality medicinal components (El-Hack et al., 2018). The method of screening genetic characteristics can also promote the progress of gene-assisted breeding technology. By using this method, the varieties that have grown can be picked out when the plants are still small. This advantage is particularly obvious when cultivating medicinal plants, because the previous methods of cultivating medicinal plants not only took a long time but were also not very accurate. With gene-assisted breeding technology, breeders can specifically cultivate plants that are more likely to have excellent characteristics, making the work of cultivating better medicinal plant varieties fast and effective (El-Hack et al., 2018). 3.4 Previous studies demonstrating the success of molecular markers in medicinal herb breeding From the findings of previous studies, the gene screening method is particularly useful in the cultivation of traditional Chinese medicinal materials. By this method, plants that are less prone to illness and can produce more active ingredients can be selected. For instance, by using specific genetic markers, genetic changes that enable medicinal plants to produce more alkaloids can be identified. Breeders can select plants with a high content of active ingredients and the ability to withstand harsh environments through these markers. In this way, the quality of the Chinese medicinal materials grown is better and the yield is more stable (El-Hack et al., 2018). Some studies have found that SSR markers can well evaluate the genetic differences and structures of medicinal plant populations. This information is crucial for the protection and rational use of genetic resources, and can help breeders maintain genetic diversity while selecting specific traits. The use of SSR markers in the breeding process has successfully cultivated new varieties with better medicinal effects, which also indicates that applying molecular markers to traditional breeding methods does have great benefits (El-Hack et al., 2018). 4 Genetic Diversity and Marker Analysis 4.1 Genetic diversity of Qingchuan Wu varieties Genetic diversity is of great significance for the cultivation and selection of plant varieties. It is the prerequisite for plants to adapt to the environment and optimize varieties. When studying the varieties of Qingchuan Wu, multiple molecular marker techniques can be used to evaluate genetic diversity. For example, simple sequence repetition (SSR) markers can easily distinguish different varieties by detecting genetic differences. The genetic situation of Qingchuan Wu was analyzed using SSR markers, and it was found that its genetic characteristics were diverse. Similarly, scientists also used randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and ISSR markers to study the genetic differences of Qingchuan Wu and its similar varieties. The results showed that there were significant genetic differences among different populations (Pin et al., 2014). The genetic differences within the same population and among different populations of Qingchuan Wu are the key to its ability to adapt to the environment and maintain vitality. This genetic difference is not only related to the survival of species, but also enables people to improve specific traits of plants through screening and cultivation. Studies have shown that evaluating genetic diversity with molecular markers can strongly promote the breeding and optimization of new varieties of Qingchuan Wu (Zhao et al., 2015). 4.2 Analysis of molecular marker results and their breeding significance Molecular markers (such as single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] and SSRs) play an important role in analyzing genetic diversity and screening ideal traits. For example, SNP markers have demonstrated practical value in the screening of growth characteristics and medicinal components of Qingchuan Wu. Furthermore, the SSR marker can be used to distinguish different varieties, which has also been verified in the research of Chinese cabbage and rice without panicles (Wang and Huang, 2024). Studying these genetic characteristics not only makes the breeding of new varieties more efficient, but also helps us cultivate plant varieties with better efficacy, superior quality and greater resistance to harsh environments. As long as the genetic characteristics related to the ideal traits are found, the person responsible for breeding can make better decisions and accelerate the speed of breeding new varieties (Tian et al., 2007).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==