Utilization of MADS-Box genes for agricultural advancement: current insights and future prospects

MADS-box genes constitute a highly conserved family of transcription factors integral to the regulation of a diverse array of plant developmental processes, encompassing floral organ specification, fruit maturation, root architecture and adaptation to abiotic stresses. These transcription factors encode proteins containing the distinctive MADS (MCM1, AGAMOUS, DEFICIENS, and SRF) domain, which mediates DNA binding and orchestrates interaction with co-regulators, thereby enabling the precise transcriptional control of developmental gene networks. Functional characterization through transgenic approaches including overexpression, knockdown, and CRISPR/Cas9-based mutagenesis-has revealed the capacity of MADS-box gene manipulation to modulate key agronomic traits, such as yield potential, as well as resilience to salinity, drought, and temperature fluctuations. In rice, targeted editing of OsMADS18 using CRISPR/Cas9 generated a substantial quantitative variation in tiller and panicle number, demonstrating the direct contribution of MADS-box gene function to biomass and yield performance. Similarly, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption of the RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN) gene in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) underscored its central role in regulating fruit ripening, linking MADS-box gene activity to postharvest quality and development. Phylogenomic studies reveal strong conservation of MADS-box gene lineages in monocot grasses, as evidenced by clustered short internal branches, whereas eudicots, particularly Solanaceae present well-differentiated subclades, reflecting lineage-specific diversification events. Notably, network analysis highlight the high connectivity and central regulatory position of many MADS-box proteins, underlining their roles as master integrators of developmental and environmental signalling involved in both floral and vegetative transitions. A mechanistic understanding of these regulatory circuits offers translational opportunities to engineer crops with improved performance and resilience, reinforcing the pivotal role of MADS-box genes in crop improvement.