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Advanced Gene Editing Techniques for Enhancing Disease Resistance and Climate Resilience in Crops

Zareen Sarfraz, Yusra Zarlashat , Alia Ambreen, Muhammad Mujahid, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal

Abstract

Ensuring food security and solving the issues carried on by climate change require breeding and engineering of climate-resilient crops. Despite their contributions to reducing agricultural diseases, genetic engineering has several limitations, including high labor costs, lengthy processing times, and poor productivity. Genome editing has become a potential method to provide notable opportunities to explain complex biological processes, genetically solve the causes of diseases, and improve crops for disease resistance by effectively modifying multiple traits. Genome editing techniques including TALENs, ZFNs, and CRISPR/Cas9 increase agricultural productivity by developing climate-resistant crops and promoting climate-resilient agriculture. Among these approaches, CRISPR/Cas9 shows exceptional efficacy, minimal chance of off-target effects, and improved traits such as drought tolerance and disease resistance. This study explores advanced gene editing techniques for improving disease resistance in crops and developing climate-resilient varieties to reduce food insecurity and hunger. It demonstrates that these techniques have enhanced the nutritional content and resilience of many crops, by fighting abiotic and biotic stresses. Future agriculture practices could alter the genes and improve disease-resistant crops by genome editing techniques.

FP24357  Accepted 07 May 2025

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