Genetically engineered virus-resistant plants in developing countries: current status and future prospects

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Pathology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Plant viruses cause significant global crop losses, with conventional control methods showing limited efficacy.
• Developing virus-resistant (VR) plants, particularly through genetic engineering, offers a promising solution to mitigate these impacts.
• While numerous strategies exist, few genetically engineered virus-resistant (GEVR) crops have reached commercialization, especially in developing countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current strategies for engineering virus resistance in plants, focusing on both viral and non-viral gene applications.
• To identify the socio-economic and regulatory challenges hindering the adoption of GEVR crops in developing countries.
• To propose solutions for overcoming these barriers and facilitating the deployment of GEVR crops.

Main Methods:

• Exploitation of natural resistance sources through conventional breeding.
• Genetic engineering of plants using viral-derived genes (e.g., coat protein, replicase) and non-viral genes (e.g., R genes, microRNAs).
• Analysis of socio-economic factors, intellectual property rights, biosafety regulations, and public perception impacting GEVR crop adoption.

Main Results:

• Both viral and non-viral genes have been successfully employed to engineer virus resistance in plants.
• Significant interest exists in developing countries for GEVR crops, despite limited availability.
• Key barriers include socio-economic issues, intellectual property, biosafety frameworks, costs, and activist opposition.

Conclusions:

• Genetic engineering offers potent tools for developing virus-resistant crops, complementing conventional breeding.
• Addressing socio-economic and regulatory challenges is paramount for the successful introduction of GEVR crops in developing nations.
• Collaborative efforts are needed to navigate challenges and realize the potential of GEVR crops for global food security.