Genome editing in maize: Toward improving complex traits in a global crop.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural biotechnology
• Plant genetics
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Genome editing tools like CRISPR/Cas offer significant potential for crop improvement.
• Developing superior crop genotypes with enhanced agronomic traits is crucial for sustainable food production.
• Transformation and regeneration are common bottlenecks for genome editing in many crop species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in crop genome editing.
• To highlight technologies that overcome transformation recalcitrance in crops.
• To focus on improving complex traits such as water use efficiency, drought stress, and yield in maize.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on genome editing technologies in crops.
• Discussion of novel delivery systems for CRISPR/Cas, including HI-Edit/IMGE.
• Exploration of ectopic/transient gene expression for morphogenic regulation.

Main Results:

• CRISPR/Cas enables diverse genome modifications for trait enhancement.
• New technologies facilitate genome editing in previously recalcitrant crops.
• These advancements are key to improving complex traits like drought tolerance and yield.

Conclusions:

• Genome editing, coupled with advanced delivery technologies, is revolutionizing crop development.
• Overcoming transformation barriers is essential for realizing the full potential of genome editing in agriculture.
• Targeted improvements in traits like water use efficiency and yield in maize are achievable.