Advancement in genetic transformation of mulberry: Current trends and future directions

A vital plant species that is important to the silk industry is the mulberry (Morus spp.). However, traditional breeding methods have limitations in enhancing key traits such as disease resistance, stress tolerance and leaf yield. Genetic transformation has emerged as a powerful tool for mulberry improvement, enabling precise modifications to enhance agronomic traits. This review explores recent advancements in genetic transformation techniques, including Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, biolistic methods and CRISPR/Cas genome editing, which have significantly improved the efficiency and precision of genetic modifications in mulberry. Genetic engineering of mulberry has led to the successful incorporation of specific genes like HVA1, osmotin, mAKR2A, MmSK, MaTCP, MuGABA-T that enhance pest and disease resistance, drought and salt tolerance, biomass yield and secondary metabolite production. The review also highlights the optimization of transformation protocols, including advancements in tissue culture, regeneration systems and selection marker strategies that have improved transformation efficiency. Despite these advancements, challenges such as low transformation efficiency, genotype dependency and limited genomic resources remain. We explore future directions, including the application of synthetic biology, genome-wide association studies and multi-omics approaches, to further accelerate genetic improvements in mulberry. Additionally, emerging gene-editing tools hold great promise for precise and efficient trait enhancement. Genetic modifications in mulberry have been explored to enhance leaf quality, biotic and abiotic stress resistance, aiming to improve the performance of the silkworm (Bombyx mori), cocoon weight and consistent silk production. By summarizing the latest developments and future prospects this review provides valuable insights into the potential of genetic transformation in mulberry. The advancements discussed here are expected to contribute to the genetic improvement of mulberry, ensuring its sustainability and productivity in the sericulture industry.