Next-Generation Breeding Strategies for Climate-Ready Crops

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Genetics
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Climate change significantly threatens global food security by reducing crop productivity.
• The projected increase in global population to over 10 billion necessitates enhanced food production strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review next-generation breeding tools for developing climate-resilient crops.
• To explore strategies for improving crop production to meet future food demands.

Main Methods:

• Genomic-assisted breeding (GAB) utilizing crop pan-genomes to capture genetic diversity.
• Genome editing technologies, including CRISPR/Cas systems (prime editing, base editing) and versatile Cas orthologs.
• High-throughput phenotyping, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and speed breeding.

Main Results:

• Pan-genomes offer new avenues to exploit genetic variation for crop optimization.
• CRISPR/Cas systems demonstrate broad applications in crop research for stress resistance.
• Integration of advanced tools accelerates crop improvement and gene discovery.

Conclusions:

• Next-generation breeding platforms are essential for developing climate-ready crops.
• Innovations in breeding, microbiome applications, and underutilized crops are key to future food security.
• Digitalization and automation in agriculture, driven by AI and ML, will further enhance crop improvement efforts.