Optimizing plant size for vertical farming by editing stem length regulators

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Genetics
• Agricultural Technology

Background:

• Vertical farming provides a controlled environment for crop cultivation, mitigating climate change impacts.
• Optimizing plant architecture is crucial for fruit-bearing crops like tomatoes in vertical farming systems.
• Gibberellin 3-oxidase (GA3ox) genes regulate plant stem elongation, influencing overall plant stature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of specific SlGA3ox genes in tomato plant architecture.
• To develop tomato varieties with enhanced suitability for vertical farming through targeted gene editing.
• To assess the impact of SlGA3ox gene modifications on plant size, architecture, and yield.

Main Methods:

• Multiplex CRISPR genome editing was employed to target the coding regions of SlGA3ox3, SlGA3ox4, and SlGA3ox5 genes in tomato.
• Phenotypic analysis of single and double mutants was conducted to evaluate changes in plant stature and architecture.
• Yield trials and vertical farm cultivation were performed to correlate plant size with yield and assess suitability for space-efficient farming.

Main Results:

• The slga3ox4 single mutant showed a slight reduction in shoot length, resulting in a smaller plant stature.
• The slga3ox3 slga3ox4 double mutant exhibited a more compact shoot architecture with minimal physiological changes.
• Vertical farm cultivation confirmed that slga3ox3 slga3ox4 plants are markedly compact, demonstrating potential for space-efficient cultivation.

Conclusions:

• Targeted manipulation of SlGA3ox genes, particularly SlGA3ox3 and SlGA3ox4, can effectively tailor tomato plant architecture.
• The compact phenotype of slga3ox3 slga3ox4 mutants is advantageous for space-constrained vertical farming environments.
• Hormone biosynthetic gene editing presents a viable strategy for optimizing crop plants for advanced agricultural systems like vertical farming.