Abstract
Forage crops not only provide food for livestock to meet the growing demands of the global population but are also essential for sustainable agricultural systems by rehabilitating infertile and marginal lands. A wide diversity of plant species is cultivated as forage crops, many of which possess complex genetic backgrounds, making them more challenging to improve compared to model plants and staple crops. Recent advancements in molecular biology, sequencing technologies, and genomic analysis tools have opened new avenues for the improvement of forage crops. This review provides a comprehensive examination of modern forage breeding, covering the primary types of forage, their characteristics, key functional genes utilized for enhancing forage traits, advanced breeding technologies, and the challenges and future directions in this field. By integrating the latest research and technological developments, this review aims to contribute to the advancement of forage breeding strategies that can meet the increasing global demand for sustainable and high-quality forage resources.