Fiber crop, jute improvement by using genomics and genetic engineering

Abstract Jute (Corchorus sp.), the most important bast (phloem) fiber crop in the world, produces long and shiny fibers that attract diversified product manufacturing companies, including textile and paper. Jute crop improvement research slowed down after facing hurdles of genome complexity, incompatibility among species, and a recalcitrant nature in the tissue culture of jute. Most of the jute improvement research was focused only on varietal improvement (via conventional breeding) and very limited successes were reported in decoding its genomic information as well as the application of genetic engineering (via molecular breeding). The scenario started changing in the last 5 years (2014 onward), and many accomplishments have been reported in the field of jute improvement. These include better understanding of many aspects, including the jute genome size, chromosome structure, genome sequencing, tissue culture regeneration, stable and efficient genetic transformation system development, and the application of genetic engineering to develop insect-resistant, fungus-resistant, and herbicide-tolerant varieties as well as further conceptualizing a low-lignin jute variety. This review focuses on the stories behind these achievements and insights into the future possibilities of jute crop improvement via multitrait jute development and the application of CRISPR/Cas technology for its fiber quality improvement.