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Enhancing the Productivity and Resilience of Rice Under Environmental Stress Conditions Using CRISPR Technology

Aamir Riaz , Muhammad Uzair , Ali Raza, Safeena Inam, Rashid Iqbal, Saima Jameel, Bushra BiBi, Muhammad Khan

Abstract

Rice is a crucial staple meal worldwide, nourishing more than half of the global population. Nonetheless, the sustainability of grain production is increasingly jeopardized by both biotic and abiotic stressors exacerbated by global climate change. Rice responds distinctively to abiotic factors in contrast to pests and diseases, which flourish under extreme climatic circumstances, resulting in increased disease vulnerability and potential epidemic occurrences. CRISPR-Cas9 facilitated genome editing presents a prospective solution for enhancing rice productivity and its resilience to stress. This technology enables the alteration of a plant's genetic components without reliance on the introduction of foreign DNA or genes to introduce a certain feature. It has become one of the most extensively used approaches for discovering new gene functions and creating novel varieties that exhibit, a higher tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stresses, herbicide resistance, and more yield production. This study examines numerous CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing techniques for gene knockout, gene knock-in, multiplexing for simultaneous disruption of multiple genes, base editing, and prime editing. This review elucidates the application of genome editing technologies to enhance rice production by directly targeting yield-related genes or indirectly modulating numerous abiotic and biotic stress-responsive genes. The current review highlights the necessity of merging genetic advancements with both traditional and advanced agricultural methods to create rice varieties resilient to stresses, thereby safeguarding food security and promoting agricultural sustainability amid climatic concerns.

FP24101  Accepted 03 December 2024

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