PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Genome editing has emerged as a revolutionary technique for precise and efficient crop improvement. It allows for specific genetic alterations without the complications associated with traditional breeding. Functional genomics and precision breeding have accelerated as a result of the technologies that employ site-directed nucleases, including zinc finger nucleases, TALENs, and particularly CRISPR/Cas systems. These strategies make it easy to insert, delete, and substitute nucleotides. Recent advances, such as base editing and prime editing, further enhance accuracy by enabling predictable modifications without causing double-strand breaks. In Indian agriculture, genome editing is critical for accelerating crop improvement. This is particularly critical in the era of climate change, emerging pests and diseases, inefficient resource use, and nutritional deficits. It has been widely employed to increase biotic and abiotic stress resistance, as well as to improve yield, nutritional quality, and climate resilience. For example, rice grain yield has increased by 10% to 20% when CRISPR/Cas9 has been employed to modify genes linked to yield. Concurrently, precise changes in stress-responsive genes have increased drought and salinity tolerance by up to 30% in controlled conditions. Despite concerns about delivery efficiency, off-target impacts, and public perception, continuous technology advancements and clearer laws make genome editing an essential component of sustainable and resilient agriculture.