Utilizing Gene Editing to Improve Plant Breeding
A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics and Genomics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 82
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Gene-editing services, particularly utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 technology, have revolutionized crop breeding by enabling precise and efficient modifications to plant genomes. The case of VIGE (Virus-Induced Gene Editing), for example, uses RNA virus to deliver CRISPR-Cas guide RNA into plants expressing Cas9 and create heritable mutations. This allows us to skip the labor- and time-consuming tissue culture and plant regeneration steps needed for gene editing. In addition, this method makes it possible to perform high-throughput gene editing in any plant species that is recalcitrant to transgenic process. This method enables precise modifications to target genes, enhancing traits such as disease resistance, nutritional content, and stress tolerance. These services allow us to edit specific genes responsible for desirable traits such as enhanced yield, improved nutritional content, and increased resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. By targeting key genes, gene editing accelerates the development of high-performing crop varieties with reduced reliance on traditional breeding methods, which are often time-consuming and less precise.
This Special Issue, “Utilizing Gene Editing to Improve Plant Breeding”, welcomes research papers and comprehensive reviews related to gene editing theories and applications in plant breeding. Topics of interest include: the following
Theoretical Innovations: Development of novel gene editing tools (e.g., mini-Cas9, RNA-guided endonucleases) and delivery methods (e.g., viral vectors, nanoparticle-based systems). Computational approaches for genome design, including AI-driven predictive modeling and machine learning for editing efficiency optimization.
Crop-Specific Applications: Case studies on staple crops (e.g., rice, wheat, maize), horticultural species, and orphan crops, focusing on trait engineering (e.g., disease resistance, drought tolerance, biofortification).
- Disease Resistance: Engineering immunity against pathogens (e.g., bacterial blight in rice, late blight in potato).
- Abiotic Stress Tolerance: Enhancing drought, salinity, and heat tolerance through targeted edits.
- Nutritional Biofortification: Increasing micronutrient content (e.g., iron in beans, vitamin A in cassava).
Synergistic Approaches: Integration of gene editing with other biotechnologies (e.g., synthetic biology, AI-driven breeding) and traditional breeding techniques.
- Synthetic Biology: Metabolic pathway engineering for novel traits.
- AI-Driven Breeding: High-throughput phenotyping and genomic selection.
- Traditional Breeding: Backcrossing edited lines into elite cultivars.
Dr. Li Sun
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- gene editing
- crop breeding
- CRISPR-Cas9
- VIGE (virus induced gene editing)
- sustainable agriculture
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