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SCIENCE & SOCIETY INSIGHTS


CRISPR Beyond Yield: Editing for Climate Resilience in Crops


Wadia Fatima

Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Climate change imposes severe threats to global food security by intensifying abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, heat, salinity, cold, and emerging pest pressures. Traditional breeding approaches have made important contributions to developing climate-resilient crops but are limited by their long timelines, genetic constraints, and unpredictable environmental interactions. The emergence of CRISPR/CAS genome editing systems has revolutionized plant breeding by enabling precise, targeted, and rapid genetic modifications. While much of the early CRISPR research has focused on enhancing yield, there is growing emphasis on editing traits that directly improve resilience to climate stressors. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of CRISPR beyond yield improvement, focusing on its application for climate resilience. It covers the fundamental principles of CRISPR/CAS systems, the major climate-related traits targeted for editing, and specific case studies demonstrating successful applications in diverse crops. Additionally, we examine the technical and regulatory challenges associated with CRISPR deployment and explore future opportunities for integrating genome editing with genomic selection, speed breeding, and systems biology approaches. By consolidating recent advances, this review highlights CRISPR’s transformative potential in safeguarding agricultural productivity under changing climatic conditions.

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