Integrating molecular tools for assessing genetic diversity and conservation strategies for genus Taxus: a global...

Genus Taxus is one of the important genera of family Taxaceae, recognized for its medicinal properties. Its wide-spread applicability in production of anti-cancerous drug paclitaxel has become prevalent in past decade which led to overexploitation of this species. Besides, the natural populations of most Taxus species have become scattered over a few pockets and declined by over 90% in recent decades due to its overexploitation. Such a rapid decline in population of the species is expected to have caused loss of many of its land races and genotypes. Earlier research efforts to conserve this species were limited in scope, focusing only on specific regions without covering a substantial area. There is a need for an elaborate description of the extent of risk and the amount of conservation efforts that we need to employ in order to conserve species belonging to this taxon. Moreover, research on the genetic diversity characterization of Taxus is limited. The ongoing studies involving molecular markers have unveiled a considerable amount of genetic diversity among various populations of Taxus species, which is an essential step towards its conservation. This review consolidates and analyzes global research findings on the ecological limitations and genetic investigations conducted across various Taxus species. It places particular emphasis on assessing genetic diversity through molecular markers alongside recent developments in genomic and transcriptomic analyses. By bridging ecological insights with molecular data, this review outlines the critical challenges this species is facing and proposes strategic directions for effective conservation, especially in light of their endangered status and high medicinal value.