Abstract

Precise plant genome editing technologies have provided new opportunities to accelerate crop improvement and develop more sustainable agricultural systems. In particular, the prokaryote-derived CRISPR platforms allow precise manipulation of the crop genome, enabling the generation of high-yielding and stress-tolerant crop varieties. Nanotechnology has the potential to catalyze the development of a novel molecular toolbox even further by introducing the possibility of a rapid, universal delivery method to edit the plant genome in a species-independent manner. In this Perspective, we highlight how nanoparticles can help unlock the full potential of CRISPR/Cas technology in targeted manipulation of the plant genome to improve agricultural output. We discuss current challenges hampering progress in nanoparticle-enabled plant gene-editing research and application in the field, and highlight how rational nanoparticle design can overcome them. Finally, we examine the implications of the regulatory frameworks and social acceptance for the future of nano-enabled precision breeding in the developing world.

MeSH

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, Nanoparticles, Nanotechnology, Technology, Genes, Genome, Plant, Gene Editing

Cited by

• Form and Function: The Factors That Influence the Efficacy of Nanomaterials for Gene Transfer to Plants. Molecules, 2025
• CRISPR/Cas9 Technique for Temperature, Drought, and Salinity Stress Responses. Curr Issues Mol Biol, 2022
• Plant biomacromolecule delivery methods in the 21st century. Front Genome Ed, 2022
• Potential of nanobiosensor in sustainable agriculture: the state-of-art. Heliyon, 2022