Genetic regulations of citrus flowering: insights towards climatic factors and modern biotechnological approaches.

Abstract

Main conclusion: The review highlights the intricate relationship between genetic and molecular mechanisms that regulate floral development and responses in citrus under diverse climatic conditions. Citrus, the world's top traded and third most produced fruit crop, holds great economic importance and provides essential nutrients, antioxidants, and medicinal properties, including anti-cancer and anti-microbial benefits. Global climatic changes and patterns pose a notable impact on the quantity and quality of blooms in mature citrus trees every year. The regulation of flowering in citrus is a complex process influenced by genetic mechanisms, along with various climatic stressors like variations in temperature, water stress and changes during vegetative phase transitions and many more. Amid unfavorable climatic scenarios, identifying robust citrus genotypes and understanding the interplay between various genetic regulatory genes and transcription factors becomes crucial and challenging for developing climate-resilient citrus varieties. In this review, detailed mechanisms of flowering in citrus have been discussed with a focus on key genetic players, such as genes and transcription factors governing the floral developmental processes. External climatic factors and their interactions with molecular pathways, influencing floral induction and development have been highlighted. Finally, the integration of modern biotechnological tools like CRISPR/Cas9, multi-omics approaches, nanomaterials, biosensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning, as a comprehensive framework to enhance stress resilience and achieve sustainable citrus production has been emphasized.