PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Mulberry (Morus spp.) leaves are the exclusive food source for the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and their nutritional quality directly determines larval growth, cocoon yield, and silk characteristics. Traditional breeding and agronomic practices have improved leaf yield and quality, but they often face limitations in precision, speed, and adaptability to environmental stresses. Recent advances in genomic and molecular tools, including high-quality chromosome-level assemblies, pangenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have provided unprecedented insights into genes and pathways controlling leaf macronutrient content, amino acid composition, soluble sugars, and bioactive secondary metabolites such as flavonoids and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ). Functional genomics, marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and emerging CRISPR/Cas-based editing now offer opportunities to fine-tune these traits for enhanced silkworm performance. However, technical barriers in transformation and regeneration, trade-offs between nutritional and anti-nutritional compounds, climate variability, and socio-regulatory factors remain challenges for practical deployment. Integrating molecular breeding with sustainable cultivation practices, climate-resilient strategies, and effective policy and extension frameworks is crucial for developing high-quality mulberry cultivars that support both sericulture productivity and long-term ecological sustainability.