Chapter 14 - CRISPR vegetables: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Vegetables, fruit, and ornamental plants are examples of horticultural crops. They are an essential part of agricultural production systems and are crucial to maintaining human life. Sustainable and increasing fruit and vegetable crop production is a critical problem to ensure future food security due to a continual rise in the global population and the resulting demand for more food. Although traditional breeding methods have greatly aided in the creation of key varieties, new strategies are needed to further enhance horticultural crop productivity. The genome editing technology clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) originated in prokaryotes and has changed plant molecular biology beyond all expectations. The potential of genetic modification to induce exact, robust, and predictable alterations in the DNA has changed the future of agriculture. It is based on the creation of specific double-strand breaks by designed endonucleases, which are then repaired by highly conserved endogenous DNA repair processes. Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR) pathways might be used for repair. CRISPR-Cas9 creates high mutation efficiency., this system has been used to access novel germplasm resources by gene-directed alteration. With whole-genome sequencing data and gene activity profiles for crucial characteristics available, CRISPR-Cas9 editing to specifically alter specific genes can rapidly develop new genetic resources for the enhancement of agriculturally important features. Within the scope of this chapter, we investigate CRISPR-Cas9 technology and the role it plays in the development of fruit and vegetable crops. We discuss the limitations, the accompanying regulatory framework, and the potential future uses.