Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 54-61 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 58 4.3 The relationship between genetic diversity and drug properties The connection between the genetic differences of plant varieties and their medicinal properties is a very crucial research content. Researchers have found that the substances useful for medicinal purposes in plants, their generation and content are often affected by genetic differences, and these substances determine whether plants can be used for treating diseases or not (Zhao et al., 2017; Qin et al., 2024). With the help of the technology of selecting varieties by looking at genes, researchers can identify specific genes related to the medicinal effects of plants. Such research results can help us cultivate new varieties with better efficacy and lay a solid foundation for the development of traditional Chinese medicine and the progress of the pharmaceutical industry (Pin et al., 2014). 5 Breeding Strategies of Qingchuan Wu 5.1 Review of traditional breeding methods and modern molecular breeding techniques For a long time, traditional breeding methods have been the fundamental means of agriculture and plant cultivation. They rely on selecting plants with distinct appearance features and then optimizing the desired characteristics through hybridization. However, due to the complex genetic laws of plant characteristics and the influence of the environment, these methods often take a long time and are not accurate enough in seed selection. Unlike traditional methods, modern molecular breeding techniques, such as marker-assisted selection (MAS), can guide breeding work based on genetic information and have more specific goals. This technology can identify and select genes related to the ideal characteristics. As a result, the speed of breeding new varieties has increased and the accuracy has also improved (Jiang, 2013). The application of techniques such as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) and quantitative trait locus (QTL) localization in molecular breeding has brought significant changes to the field of breeding. Just as when screening varieties related to the medicinal components and growth characteristics of Qingchuan Wu, the use of SNP markers has demonstrated the potential of molecular markers to significantly enhance the breeding effect. 5.2 Marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding programs Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is a powerful tool in modern breeding, which can precisely pick out plants with good genes. When cultivating Qingchuan Wu, MAS enhances the medicinal component content and growth status of Qingchuan Wu by identifying gene markers related to the target characteristics, such as SNPS of the ACTL8 gene, providing a scientific basis for efficient breeding (Xu et al., 2012). The research finds that the use of MAS can reduce the uncertainty during seed selection and greatly increase the probability of successful variety improvement (Pin, 2014; Li et al., 2024). Moreover, MAS can also solve the problems of breeding complex traits, such as those controlled by multiple genes. As long as breeders keep an eye on key genetic markers, they can make better decisions and cultivate high-quality varieties more quickly. 5.3 Improvement of target traits: quality and disease resistance of medicinal materials Improving the medicinal quality of Qingchuan Wu is the main goal of breeding, which directly affects its efficacy and market sales. Breeders use molecular markers, such as SNP and QTL, to identify genetic differences related to the content and quality of medicinal components, and then select plants with good genes to improve the quality of medicinal materials (Zhao et al., 2017). There are also studies showing that this method is crucial for ensuring the continuous development of breeding work (Yang et al., 2015; Ouyang et al., 2024). In addition to improving the medicinal quality, enhancing the disease resistance of Qingchuan Wu is also an important task in breeding. With the help of MAS, breeders can quickly select varieties with strong disease resistance, enabling them to grow well even in adverse environments and ensuring stable yields. This can not only meet the market demand, but also improve the overall health level of the variety (Xu et al., 2012; Yan, 2024).
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