Shiming Han^1,2, Yuexia Wang^1,2*, Yumei Fang¹*, Zainab Saeed³, Tanveer Ahmad⁴, Jihong Dong², Muhammad Sajjad⁵*

¹School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, China

²School of Public Administration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China

³State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, College of Agronomy, Hebei Agriculture University, Baoding, 071000, China

⁴Department of Horticulture, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, 60000, Punjab, Pakistan

⁵Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan

 

*Corresponding author’s email: B20160017@cumt.edu.cn; xinxiang324@sohu.com; muhammad.sajjad@comsats.edu.pk

Received: 16 July 2025 / Accepted: 22 September 2025 / Published Online: 13 October 2025

 

Abstract

 

Actinidia spp. (kiwifruit) has transitioned from a regional Chinese fruit to a crop of global economic and nutritional significance. This spread reflects the genus Actinidia’s rich genetic diversity and systematic dissemination efforts. Kiwifruit Commercial production now centers on key regions including China, New Zealand, Italy, and Greece. The fruit’s distinctive nutritional chemistry, marked by exceptionally high concentrations of vitamins C, E, and K, underpins its dietary value. We review the utilization of Actinidia genetic resources as reservoirs for enhancing yield, quality, and resilience. Conventional techniques (selective breeding, interspecific hybridization) and modern biotechnologies are analyzed comparatively, encompassing marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection, and mutagenesis. Emphasis addresses CRISPR-Cas9 transformative capacity for precise editing of disease resistance loci, nutritional biosynthetic pathways, and abiotic stress tolerance genes. These integrative approaches enable development of improved cultivars with optimized yield, organoleptic profiles, enhanced postharvest stability, and climate resilience. Despite these advances, we identify persistent challenges in trait introgression and manipulation of regulatory pathways, proposing doable strategies toward sustainable global production.

 

Keywords: Kiwifruit, Breeding, Genetic diversity, CRISPR/Cas9, Fruit quality, Trait improvement, KASP, MAS

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