Redesigning crop varieties to win the race between climate change and food security

Molecular Plant, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 16(10), P. 1590 - 1611

Published: Sept. 7, 2023

Climate change poses daunting challenges to agricultural production and food security. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, more frequent extreme events have already demonstrated their effects on local, regional, global systems. Crop varieties that withstand climate-related stresses are suitable for cultivation in innovative cropping systems will be crucial maximize risk avoidance, productivity, profitability under climate-changed environments. We surveyed 588 expert stakeholders predict current novel traits may essential future pearl millet, sorghum, maize, groundnut, cowpea, common bean varieties, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. then review the progress prospects breeding three prioritized future-essential each of these crops. Experts most priorities remain important, but rates genetic gain must increase keep pace with climate consumer demands. Importantly, predicted include targets also prioritized; example, (1) optimized rhizosphere microbiome, benefits P, N, water use efficiency, (2) performance across or specific systems, (3) lower nighttime respiration, (4) improved stover quality, (5) increased early vigor. further discuss cutting-edge tools approaches discover, validate, incorporate diversity from exotic germplasm into populations unprecedented precision, accuracy, speed. conclude greatest challenge developing crop win race between security might our innovativeness defining boldness breed tomorrow.

Language: Английский

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Modern omics toolbox for producing combined and multifactorial abiotic stress tolerant plants

Plant Stress, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 11, P. 100301 - 100301

Published: Nov. 21, 2023

Plants being sessile organisms, face environmental challenges and climate change scenarios, that often occur simultaneously (as dual or multifactorial) rather than as a single stress factor. Combined stresses may exert additive impacts on plant growth yields. The prime challenge to safely feed the burgeoning population, in light of issues, demands precise agriculture systems. Though traditional breeding methods have been utilised but with limited success owing time, cost, infrastructure constraints. Modern biotechnological tools, especially high-throughput omics including genomics, transcriptomics, miRNAomics, metabolomics, lipidomics beside others are advocated revolutionize science biology develop stress-smart crops. Omics databases, pipelines coupled machine learning, artificial intelligence, mathematical modelling proving highly effective not only deciphering mechanistic insights responses also enhancing stress-tolerance. This review presents current knowledge updates recent developments abiotic adaptive strategies against combined sequential stresses. Latest toolbox how they explored via genetic genomic engineering, RNA-interference, microRNAs target mimicry discussed detail. Recent deployment biotechnological/omics technologies modern practices for producing multi-abiotic tolerant crops, key questions futuristic trends discussed.

Language: Английский

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Engineering biology and climate change mitigation: Policy considerations

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: March 26, 2024

Abstract Engineering biology (EngBio) is a dynamic field that uses gene editing, synthesis, assembly, and engineering to design new or modified biological systems. EngBio applications could make significant contribution achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, policy support will be needed if fulfil its climate mitigation potential. What form should such policies take, what they target? This paper reviews EngBio’s potential contributions assist policymakers shape regulations target resources and, in so doing, facilitate democratic deliberation on desirable futures.

Language: Английский

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RNA Interference Approaches for Plant Disease Control

BioTechniques, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 69(6), P. 469 - 477

Published: Oct. 19, 2020

Plant diseases caused by a variety of pathogens can have severe effects on crop plants and even in natural ecosystems. Despite many effective conventional approaches to control plant diseases, new, efficacious, environmentally sound cost-effective are needed, particularly with our increasing human population the production health climate change. RNA interference (RNAi) is gene regulation antiviral response mechanism eukaryotes; transgenic non plant-based RNAi shown great effectiveness potential target specific help especially when no alternatives available. Here we discuss ways which has been used against different pathogens, some new applications for disease control.

Language: Английский

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Adequacy and sufficiency evaluation of existing EFSA guidelines for the molecular characterisation, environmental risk assessment and post‐market environmental monitoring of genetically modified insects containing engineered gene drives

EFSA Journal, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 18(11)

Published: Nov. 1, 2020

Advances in molecular and synthetic biology are enabling the engineering of gene drives insects for disease vector/pest control.Engineered (that bias their own inheritance) can be designed either to suppress interbreeding target populations or modify them with a new genotype.Depending on engineered drive system, theoretically, genetic modification interest could spread through persist indefinitely, restricted its persistence.While research applications is advancing at fast pace, it will take several years technological developments move practical deliberate release into environment.Some modified (GDMIs) have been tested experimentally laboratory, but none has assessed small-scale confined field trials open as yet.There concern that GDMIs environment may possible irreversible unintended consequences.As proactive measure, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) requested by Commission review whether previously published guidelines risk assessment genetically animals (EFSA, 2012 2013), including (GMIs), adequate sufficient GDMIs, primarily vectors, agricultural pests invasive species, environment.Under this mandate, EFSA was not develop GDMIs.In Scientific Opinion, Panel Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) concludes EFSA's adequate, insufficient characterisation (MC), environmental (ERA) post-market monitoring (PMEM) GDMIs.While MC, ERA PMEM build existing framework GMIs do contain drives, there specific areas where further guidance needed GDMIs.

Language: Английский

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Versatile Applications of the CRISPR/Cas Toolkit in Plant Pathology and Disease Management

Phytopathology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 111(7), P. 1080 - 1090

Published: Dec. 23, 2020

New tools and advanced technologies have played key roles in facilitating basic research plant pathology practical approaches for disease management crop health. Recently, the CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated) system has emerged as a powerful versatile tool genome editing other molecular applications. This review aims to introduce highlight toolkit its current future impact on management. We will cover rapidly expanding horizon of various applications study plant-pathogen interactions, engineering resistance, diagnosis diverse pathogens. Using citrus greening an example, CRISPR/Cas-enabled strategies are presented precisely edit host detect pathogen management, potentially use gene drive insect population control. At cutting edge nucleic acid manipulation detection, accelerate breeding reshape production we face challenges 21st century agriculture.

Language: Английский

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Synthetic biology and opportunities within agricultural crops

Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 1(2), P. 89 - 107

Published: May 16, 2022

Abstract Conventional breeding techniques have been integral to the development of many agronomically important traits in numerous crops. The adoption modern biotechnology approaches further advanced and refined trait introduction beyond scope possible through conventional breeding. However, crop yields continue be challenged by abiotic biotic factors that require are more genetically complex than can addressed or traditional genetic engineering. Therefore, required maintain improve production efficiency, especially as climate change accelerates incidence challenges food fibre Synthetic biology (SynBio) encompasses design construct new biological elements (e.g., enzymes, circuits, cells) redesign existing systems build improved functions. SynBio ‘upgrades’ potential engineering, which involves transfer single genes from one organism another. This technology enable multiple a transgenic event, either derived foreign synthetically generated. It also assembly novel genomes ground up set standardised parts, then transferred into target cell organism. New opportunities advance applications exploiting include known function, artificially creating variation, topical small RNAs pesticides potentially speeding cultivars with elite traits. review will draw upon case studies demonstrate application productivity resistance various challenges. Here, we outline specific solutions including fungal diseases, insect pests, heat drought stress nutrient acquisition range crops using toolkit.

Language: Английский

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Metabolic pathways engineering for drought or/and heat tolerance in cereals

Frontiers in Plant Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14

Published: Sept. 22, 2023

Drought (D) and heat (H) are the two major abiotic stresses hindering cereal crop growth productivity, either singly or in combination (D/+H), by imposing various negative impacts on plant physiological biochemical processes. Consequently, this decreases overall production global food availability human nutrition. To achieve nutrition security

Language: Английский

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SARS-CoV-2 and oncolytic EV-D68-encoded proteases differentially regulate pyroptosis

Journal of Virology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 98(2)

Published: Jan. 30, 2024

Pyroptosis, a pro-inflammatory programmed cell death, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 and other viral diseases. Gasdermin family proteins (GSDMs), including GSDMD GSDME, are key regulators pyroptotic death. However, mechanisms by which virus infection modulates pyroptosis remain unclear. Here, we employed mCherry-GSDMD fluorescent reporter assay to screen for that impede localization function living cells. Our data indicated main protease NSP5 severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) blocked GSDMD-mediated via cleaving residues Q29 Q193 GSDMD. While another SARS-CoV-2 protease, NSP3, cleaved GSDME at residue G370 but activated GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Interestingly, enterovirus EV-D68-encoded proteases 3C 2A also exhibit similar differential regulation on functions GSDMs inactivating initiating EV-D68 exerted oncolytic effects human cancer cells inducing findings provide insights into how viruses manipulate host suggest potential targets antiviral therapy as well treatment.IMPORTANCEPyroptosis plays crucial role 2019, comprehending its may facilitate development novel therapeutic strategies. This study aims explore viral-encoded modulate We investigated impact D68 (EV-D68) found SARS-CoV-2-encoded NSP3 inactivate gasdermin D (GSDMD) initiate E (GSDME)-mediated pyroptosis, respectively. discovered encodes two distinct selectively trigger while suppressing Based these findings, further noted triggers produces carcinoma provides new molecular underlying virus-modulated identifies therapeutics.

Language: Английский

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Gene editing in animals: What does the public want to know and what information do stakeholder organizations provide?

Public Understanding of Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 33(6), P. 725 - 739

Published: Feb. 7, 2024

Organizations involved with gene editing may engage the public to share information and address concerns about technology. It is unclear, however, if shared aligns what people want know. We aimed understand members of know in animals by soliciting their questions through an open-ended survey question comparing them posed Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) webpages developed stakeholder organizations. Participants (338 USA residents) asked most general animal welfare. In contrast, FAQ focused on regulations. The participants demonstrate a range knowledge interests. discrepancy between participant provided suggests that stakeholders might more meaningful engagement actual from opening up opportunities for real dialogue.

Language: Английский

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