CRISPR for accelerating genetic gains in under-utilized crops of the drylands: Progress and prospects

Abstract

Technologies and innovations are critical for addressing the future food system needs where genetic resources are an essential component of the change process. Advanced breeding tools like “genome editing” are vital for modernizing crop breeding to provide game-changing solutions to some of the “must needed” traits in agriculture. CRISPR/Cas-based tools have been rapidly repurposed for editing applications based on their improved efficiency, specificity and reduced off-target effects. Additionally, precise gene-editing tools such as base editing, prime editing, and multiplexing provide precision in stacking of multiple traits in an elite variety, and facilitating specific and targeted crop improvement. This has helped in advancing research and delivery of products in a short time span, thereby enhancing the rate of genetic gains. A special focus has been on food security in the drylands through crops including millets, teff, fonio, quinoa, Bambara groundnut, pigeonpea and cassava. While these crops contribute significantly to the agricultural economy and resilience of the dryland, improvement of several traits including increased stress tolerance, nutritional value, and yields are urgently required. Although CRISPR has potential to deliver disruptive innovations, prioritization of traits should consider breeding product profiles and market segments for designing and accelerating delivery of locally adapted and preferred crop varieties for the drylands. In this context, the scope of regulatory environment has been stated, implying the dire impacts of unreasonable scrutiny of genome-edited plants on the evolution and progress of much-needed technological advances.

Current trends and prospects in quinoa research: An approach for strategic knowledge areas

“…Genome editing is a critical issue in agriculture future based on precise gene‐editing tools such as base editing, prime editing, and multiplexing, but, among them, CRISPR/Cas‐based tools have been rapidly repurposed gene edition based on characteristics of improved efficiency, specificity, and reduced off‐target effects. CRISPR/Cas tool provides a robust platform for targeted quinoa breeding (Sharma et al., 2022 ) There is a lack in current legal frameworks for perfectly covering all the issues related to genetic resources and their sustainable management, mainly due to overlaps and discrepancies on geographical levels (local and international), different purposes (genetic resources, varieties and seeds, landscapes, agricultural by‐products, etc. ), and inclusion of wild relatives and raw genetic resources of cultivated quinoa, as well as the traditional knowledge related to it (Li, 2022 ).…”

“…Genome editing is a critical issue in agriculture future based on precise gene‐editing tools such as base editing, prime editing, and multiplexing, but, among them, CRISPR/Cas‐based tools have been rapidly repurposed gene edition based on characteristics of improved efficiency, specificity, and reduced off‐target effects. CRISPR/Cas tool provides a robust platform for targeted quinoa breeding (Sharma et al., 2022 )…”

Advancements in Genetic Enhancement: CRISPR/Cas-Mediated Genome Editing in Leguminous Crops

“…Mung bean breeding initiatives are poised to benefit from CRISPR/Cas9 technology, with potential applications in disease resistance and climate resilience. Leveraging the extensive genomic resources available for mung bean, CRISPR/Cas9 offers a powerful tool for accelerating the development of resilient crop varieties capable of withstanding fluctuating environmental conditions and contributing to global food security [54].…”

Analysis of the Utilization and Prospects of CRISPR-Cas Technology in the Annotation of Gene Function and Creation New Germplasm in Maize Based on Patent Data

“…Genetic variation and diverse germplasm are the basis of crop breeding. Gene-editing technology can overcome the bottleneck of lack of germplasm resources in traditional breeding by introducing precise genetic alterations to the targeted genomes, efficiently accelerating the pyramiding of multiple traits [ 2 ]. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) technology has become a powerful tool for crop genetic improvement by efficiently and accurately modifying target genes, thereby accelerating plant breeding.…”