Jianmin Zheng¹ , Xiaocheng Wang²

1 Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang Colloge of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
2 Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Medicinal Plant Research, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 2   doi: 10.5376/mpr.2024.14.0008
Received: 20 Feb., 2024    Accepted: 25 Mar., 2024    Published: 12 Apr., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Zheng J.M. and Wang X.C., 2024, Breeding strategies for enhancing medicinal properties of Lonicera japonica, Medicinal Plant Research, 14(2): 97-106 (doi: 10.5376/mpr.2024.14.0008)

Lonicera japonica is widely recognized for its medicinal properties, especially in traditional medicine, where it is known for its anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antioxidant effects. In this study, the methods of improving the medicinal quality of honeysuckle by breeding strategies were discussed, focusing on increasing the yield of flavonoid and other key active compounds. The study analyzed genetic diversity and molecular markers associated with medicinal traits in wild populations to support the development of good genotypes, and evaluated the effectiveness of traditional crossbreeding, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and modern genomic tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 in improving these medicinal traits. The production of active compounds has been optimized through traditional breeding methods such as genotype selection and hybridization, combined with advanced technologies such as genome selection and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Despite breeding and regulatory challenges, the study concludes that breeding programs that combine traditional and modern techniques hold great promise in enhancing the medicinal value of honeysuckle.

Lonicera japonica; Medicinal properties; Genome sequencing; Carotenoid metabolism; Molecular breeding