Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 202-210 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 207 7 Challenges and Research Gaps 7.1 Technical limitations in woody plant transformation and editing Torreya grandis is a woody gymnosperm with very low gene transformation and editing efficiency. Currently, there is no efficient and stable genetic operation system. This has greatly restricted the application of synthetic biology tools in Torreya grandis. Although some gene function studies (such as TgSQS and TgDAHP2) have been verified in heterologous systems, there are still many technical challenges in achieving precise editing and large-scale functional verification on the Torreya grandis itself. In addition, woody plants have a long life cycle and an imperfect regeneration system, making gene function analysis and molecular breeding even more difficult (Suo et al., 2019; Ding et al., 2020; Shen et al., 2024). 7.2 Lack of high-quality genomic databases and functional annotation In recent years, the transcriptome and multi-omics data of Torreya grandis have gradually increased, but a complete and high-quality genomic database is still lacking, and the functional annotations are insufficient. Many important metabolic pathways related to lipids, amino acids and flavonoids have not been fully elucidated yet. This limits the pathway construction of molecular design and synthetic biology (Lou et al., 2022; Yan et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2024). In addition, there is currently a lack of systematic multi-omics integration and functional verification platforms, making it difficult to achieve precise regulation from genes to traits. 7.3 Balancing industrial use with biodiversity conservation Torreya grandis is a rare tree species with high economic value and also plays an important role in ecology. The research conducted by Fan et al. in 2025 indicates that if large-scale development and utilization are carried out, it may bring risks such as a decline in genetic diversity, soil degradation, and an increase in pests and diseases. Studies on the genetic structure of Torreya grandis populations, microbial interactions, and their impacts on ecosystem services under different forest ages and ecological environments are still relatively scarce at present. There is a lack of a scientific management approach that combines industrial development with biodiversity conservation. Environmental stresses such as drought, acidification and pollution also pose challenges to the sustainable utilization of Torreya grandis. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the research on the ecological adaptability and stress resistance mechanism of Torreya grandis (Yu et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2023; Shen et al., 2024). 8 Future Perspectives 8.1 Integrating synthetic biology with sustainable forestry models The tools used in synthetic biology include gene editing, synthetic gene circuits and environmental sensors. These methods can precisely regulate plant growth, stress resistance and the synthesis of metabolic products, providing technical support for sustainable forestry. Plant systems engineering and microbiome engineering have shown great potential in biomass materials, carbon sinks and ecological restoration, and are helpful for establishing an efficient, low-carbon and circular forestry production system (McCarty and Ledesma-amaro, 2019; Yang et al., 2022). In the future, the combination of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology will further enhance the intelligence and resource utilization efficiency of forestry management (Iram et al., 2024; Morgan et al., 2024). 8.2 Combining biotechnology with climate-resilient cultivation Climate change has brought about extreme weather and ecological pressure. Synthetic biology is helpful for breeding Torreya grandis varieties that are more drought-tolerant, flood-tolerant and heat-tolerant. Through systematic breeding, microbiome regulation and molecular design, the stress resistance of plants can be enhanced to ensure the stability and productivity of forestry ecosystems (Roell and Zurbriggen, 2019; Kocaoğlan et al., 2023). The combination of these new technologies and traditional measures, such as diversified planting and ecological management, is also helpful for improving overall climate resilience (Chami, 2020; Tan et al., 2022; Kozaeva et al., 2024). 8.3 Policy, industry, and community roles in sustainable utilization The sustainable utilization of Torreya grandis not only relies on science, but also requires the cooperation of policies, industries and communities. At the policy level, incentive mechanisms can be established to support
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