The orthobunyavirus is a major group of mosquito-borne viruses，mainly prevalent in the Americas，Europe，and Africa. It can cause severe human diseases（e.g.，encephalitis，hemorrhagic fever）and livestock abortions. Reverse genetics，as a powerful tool for viral genome research，has been widely applied to study viral gene functions，develop vaccines，and screen antiviral drugs. This review systematically presents the evolutionary history and applications of the reverse genetics system for orthobunyaviruses，providing critical insights into studies on the infection and transmission mechanisms of these viruses，as well as the development of novel vaccines and therapeutic agents.

The orthobunyavirus is a major group of mosquito-borne viruses，mainly prevalent in the Americas，Europe，and Africa. It can cause severe human diseases（e.g.，encephalitis，hemorrhagic fever）and livestock abortions. Reverse genetics，as a powerful tool for viral genome research，has been widely applied to study viral gene functions，develop vaccines，and screen antiviral drugs. This review systematically presents the evolutionary history and applications of the reverse genetics system for orthobunyaviruses，providing critical insights into studies on the infection and transmission mechanisms of these viruses，as well as the development of novel vaccines and therapeutic agents.