CRISPR Applications in Plant Virology
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viruses of Plants, Fungi and Protozoa".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026
Special Issue Editor
2. Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Interests: viroids; viruses; tobamovirses; RNA 3D structure
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The application of CRISPR-based technologies in plant virology has revolutionized our understanding and manipulation of plant–virus interactions. Over the past decade, CRISPR/Cas systems, particularly CRISPR/Cas9, have emerged as powerful tools to modify plant genomes with high precision, enabling targeted resistance to viral infections. These advances offer significant promise in combating plant viruses that threaten global food security. CRISPR applications range from developing virus-resistant crops to understanding viral evolution and genome dynamics in plant cells. Additionally, CRISPR has been utilized to uncover host–virus interactions, paving the way for more refined breeding techniques and genome editing strategies for virus control. Despite these successes, several challenges remain, such as improving delivery systems, ensuring efficient and stable resistance, and addressing concerns about off-target effects. This Special Issue seeks to highlight the latest breakthroughs in CRISPR applications for plant virology, exploring both the potential and limitations of these technologies. We aim to foster discussions on the future direction of CRISPR-based viral resistance and the broader implications for plant breeding and agriculture.
Dr. Jian Wu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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Keywords
- CRISPR/Cas9
- plant virology
- virus resistance
- genome editing
- plant breeding
- viral evolution
- CRISPR applications
- host–virus interactions
- crop protection
- genome modification
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