Precision Genome Editing and Molecular Breeding for Climate-Resilient and Nutritionally Enhanced Crops

Global agriculture is facing unprecedented pressures driven by accelerating climate change and an expanding global population. Traditional plant breeding programs, while highly valuable, often suffer from long development cycles and linkage drag, making it difficult to develop elite crop varieties quickly. At the same time, public concerns and strict regional frameworks regarding conventional transgenic methods limit their widespread adoption. To achieve sustainable global food security, modern agricultural systems require a decisive paradigm shift toward precision breeding. The advent of advanced biotechnology, particularly transgene-free genome editing, precise molecular marker development, and high-throughput multi-omics strategies, offers an unprecedented opportunity. By enabling targeted modifications of complex genetic loci, these tools allow researchers to rapidly improve crop resilience and nutritional value. This Research Topic provides a timely platform to gather structural insights, novel methodologies, and fundamental breakthroughs that bridge the gap between laboratory-based genomic engineering and field-level crop performance.The primary goal of this Research Topic is to address the urgent need for climate-resilient and biofortified staple and alternative crops by evaluating structural breakthroughs in plant biotechnology. Despite significant advancements in CRISPR-Cas9 applications, fine-tuning complex polygenic traits such as multi-stress tolerance, optimal plant architecture, and precise tissue-specific biofortification remains a bottleneck. This collection aims to capture how next-generation tools, including base editing, prime editing, multiplexed gene targeting, and AI-driven genomic selection, can overcome current limitations in transformation efficiency and genetic trade-offs. By compiling pioneering original research and expert perspectives, we seek to establish actionable pathways for developing high-yielding, elite crop lines suited for volatile environments. This Research Topic welcomes contributions focusing on the integration of cutting-edge biotechnological innovations with molecular plant breeding strategies. We encourage the submission of manuscripts addressing major cereals (such as rice and wheat) as well as underexplored orphan crops. We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, Perspectives, and Opinion manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to, the following specific themes:i. Transgene-Free Crop Improvement: Advanced delivery systems, tissue culture-independent transformation protocols, and the development of DNA-free gene-edited crops.ii. Precision Engineering for Abiotic & Biotic Stress Tolerance: CRISPR-mediated optimization of genes governing drought, salinity, heat, and emerging pathogen resistance.iii. Nutritional Biofortification and Antinutrient Reduction: Metabolic engineering of primary/secondary metabolites, enhancement of micronutrients, and knockout of undesirable components.iv. Functional Genomics & Haploid Technologies: Identification of novel target genes and integration of edited lines into speed-breeding pipelines.v. AI and Multi-Omics Driven Breeding: Linking transcriptome, metabolome, and epigenome datasets to identify high-efficiency regulatory targets for precise gene editing. Topic editors: Kailash Samal, Dr. Jyoti Prakash Sahoo, Manasi Dash, Pankaj Kumar Bhowmik, Ufuk Demirel Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84926/precision-genome-editing-and-molecular-breeding-for-climate-resilient-and-nutritionally-enhanced-crops