Challenges and opportunities to improve tropical fruits in Hainan, China

Tropical fruits play a major role in the economic and social development of Hainan. Despite favorable climatic conditions, the yield of tropical fruits in Hainan remains low, in part due to the low genetic potential of currently grown tropical fruit varieties. Consequently, there is a need to improve yield potential by exploiting the genome and germplasm resources of tropical fruit species, minimizing post-harvest losses, and improving transportation standards. In this study, we intend to collect germplasm resources from a wide range of domestic and exotic sources to evaluate the genetic yield potential and nutritional quality of fruit using plant morphology, taxonomy and physiological parameters. In this review, we aim to identify current bottlenecks in the Hainan tropical fruit industry and propose solutions through the use of conventional breeding and new biotechnological tools, including the use of omics and CRISPR to enhance yield and tackle biotic and abiotic stresses of tropical fruit species. Producing new fruit cultivars in Hainan, either through conventional strategies or the use of genome editing technology such as CRISPR, could help improve the socioeconomic status of this region. Furthermore, increasing the genetic potential and production of new cultivars can help in meeting the demands of new trade agreements with various nations under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, Boao Forum for Asia, ASEAN agreements, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.