Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops

Climate change threatens global crop yield and food security due to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased abiotic stresses like drought, heat, and salinity. Gene editing technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, base editors, and prime editors, offer precise tools for enhancing crop resili...

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Main Authors: R. L. Chavhan, S. G. Jaybhaye, V. R. Hinge, A. S. Deshmukh, U. S. Shaikh, P. K. Jadhav, U. S. Kadam, J. C. Hong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Genome Editing
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1524767/full
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author R. L. Chavhan
S. G. Jaybhaye
V. R. Hinge
A. S. Deshmukh
U. S. Shaikh
P. K. Jadhav
U. S. Kadam
J. C. Hong
author_facet R. L. Chavhan
S. G. Jaybhaye
V. R. Hinge
A. S. Deshmukh
U. S. Shaikh
P. K. Jadhav
U. S. Kadam
J. C. Hong
author_sort R. L. Chavhan
collection DOAJ
description Climate change threatens global crop yield and food security due to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased abiotic stresses like drought, heat, and salinity. Gene editing technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, base editors, and prime editors, offer precise tools for enhancing crop resilience. This review explores the mechanisms of these technologies and their applications in developing climate-resilient crops to address future challenges. While CRISPR/enables targeted modifications of plant DNA, the base editors allow for direct base conversion without inducing double-stranded breaks, and the prime editors enable precise insertions, deletions, and substitutions. By understanding and manipulating key regulator genes involved in stress responses, such as DREB, HSP, SOS, ERECTA, HsfA1, and NHX; crop tolerance can be enhanced against drought, heat, and salt stress. Gene editing can improve traits related to root development, water use efficiency, stress response pathways, heat shock response, photosynthesis, membrane stability, ion homeostasis, osmotic adjustment, and oxidative stress response. Advancements in gene editing technologies, integration with genomics, phenomics, artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) hold great promise. However, challenges such as off-target effects, delivery methods, and regulatory barriers must be addressed. This review highlights the potential of gene editing to develop climate-resilient crops, contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture.
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spelling doaj-art-69a930abccf84ceb933a9fb65320fed62025-08-20T02:58:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genome Editing2673-34392025-03-01710.3389/fgeed.2025.15247671524767Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient cropsR. L. Chavhan0S. G. Jaybhaye1V. R. Hinge2A. S. Deshmukh3U. S. Shaikh4P. K. Jadhav5U. S. Kadam6J. C. Hong7Vilasrao Deshmukh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Latur, IndiaVilasrao Deshmukh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Latur, IndiaVilasrao Deshmukh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Latur, IndiaVilasrao Deshmukh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Latur, IndiaVilasrao Deshmukh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Latur, IndiaVilasrao Deshmukh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Latur, IndiaDivision of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Division of Life Science, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBBRC), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of KoreaDivision of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Division of Life Science, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBBRC), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of KoreaClimate change threatens global crop yield and food security due to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased abiotic stresses like drought, heat, and salinity. Gene editing technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, base editors, and prime editors, offer precise tools for enhancing crop resilience. This review explores the mechanisms of these technologies and their applications in developing climate-resilient crops to address future challenges. While CRISPR/enables targeted modifications of plant DNA, the base editors allow for direct base conversion without inducing double-stranded breaks, and the prime editors enable precise insertions, deletions, and substitutions. By understanding and manipulating key regulator genes involved in stress responses, such as DREB, HSP, SOS, ERECTA, HsfA1, and NHX; crop tolerance can be enhanced against drought, heat, and salt stress. Gene editing can improve traits related to root development, water use efficiency, stress response pathways, heat shock response, photosynthesis, membrane stability, ion homeostasis, osmotic adjustment, and oxidative stress response. Advancements in gene editing technologies, integration with genomics, phenomics, artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) hold great promise. However, challenges such as off-target effects, delivery methods, and regulatory barriers must be addressed. This review highlights the potential of gene editing to develop climate-resilient crops, contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1524767/fullgenome editingclimate-resilience cropsabiotic and biotic stressclimate changeCRISPR-cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic Repeats-CRISPRassociated) systembase editing (BE)
spellingShingle R. L. Chavhan
S. G. Jaybhaye
V. R. Hinge
A. S. Deshmukh
U. S. Shaikh
P. K. Jadhav
U. S. Kadam
J. C. Hong
Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops
Frontiers in Genome Editing
genome editing
climate-resilience crops
abiotic and biotic stress
climate change
CRISPR-cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic Repeats-CRISPRassociated) system
base editing (BE)
title Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops
title_full Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops
title_fullStr Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops
title_full_unstemmed Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops
title_short Emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate-resilient crops
title_sort emerging applications of gene editing technologies for the development of climate resilient crops
topic genome editing
climate-resilience crops
abiotic and biotic stress
climate change
CRISPR-cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic Repeats-CRISPRassociated) system
base editing (BE)
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1524767/full
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