Current situation and future of the industry of Chinese gallnut, a traditional resource insect product in China

Chinese gallnut is a gall induced by gallnut aphids parasitizing plants of the Anacardiaceae family, such as Rhus chinensis. As the natural plant tissue with the highest tannic acid content, it has significant application value in industries including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electronics and metallurgy. This study systematically expounded the biological basis of gallnut formation, its types and application value, analyzed the current development status and bottlenecks of the industry. Furthermore, it proposed a comprehensive development strategy encompassing the establishment of a stable-yield cultivation system, the extension of high-value-added industrial chains, and the strengthening of industry-university-research integration. The aim is to provide a systematic solution for the high-quality development of the gallnut industry.