Current production and biotechnological applications in the breeding of litchi in China

The litchi industry in China is currently undergoing a transformation from low to high efficiency, and in 2018, the country had 551,700 ha under litchi cultivation, with a total output of nearly 3.02 million t, the highest in history. Furthermore, in recent years, litchi e-commerce has sprung up and the number of fresh litchi online sales has multiplied year-on-year. At present, government departments are vigorously promoting projects for the supply-side structural reform of the litchi industry. The first of these is the adjustment of cultivar structure, and in recent years, the planting area of certain average quality cultivars has declined, whereas the production of new cultivars has gradually increased. A second project aims to improve the degree of organization and a third focuses on the promotion of litchi culture and brand building to address the lack of positive consumer perception, which is recognized as a major factor affecting litchi sales and consumption. Additional policy support includes the investment in new cultivar breeding, financial support for old orchard renovation, and the introduction of new cultivars. Current research and development on litchi breeding technology has focused on the introduction and application of modern biotechnology and cutting-edge new technologies, and breeding efficiency has been enhanced by the application of specific molecular markers, the mining of trait functional genes, and gene editing. However, although some breakthroughs have been made in the excavation of litchi functional genes, research on gene modification and development of an immature exophyte regeneration system for litchi is progressing slowly.