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Abstract
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Genome-editing technologies offer
unprecedented opportunities for crop improvement
with superior precision and speed. This review
presents an analysis of the current state of genome
editing in the major cereal crops- rice, maize, wheat
and barley. Genome editing has been used to achieve
important agronomic and quality traits in cereals.
These include adaptive traits to mitigate the effects of
climate change, tolerance to biotic stresses, higher
yields, more optimal plant architecture, improved
grain quality and nutritional content, and safer products.
Not all traits can be achieved through genome
editing, and several technical and regulatory challenges
need to be overcome for the technology to
realize its full potential. Genome editing, however, has
already revolutionized cereal crop improvement and is
poised to shape future agricultural practices in
conjunction with other breeding innovations
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