PlantaFeb 10, 2026

Improving plant resistance to non-living stresses using CRISPR gene editing: how it works and future possibilities

CRISPR Gene Editing Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Feb 11, 2026

Abstract

CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology offers precise modifications to stress-responsive genes, potentially enhancing crop resilience to abiotic stress.

Abiotic stress factors, including drought and salinity, significantly impact crop productivity.
Traditional breeding and transgenic methods for enhancing stress tolerance are often slow and face regulatory challenges.
Recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas technology provide new avenues for improving crop resilience to environmental stressors.
Emerging techniques such as multiplex genome editing and base editing may further enhance the efficiency of genetic modifications.
The integration of AI-assisted CRISPR approaches could optimize the application of genome editing in agriculture.

Simplified

Abiotic stress factors such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and oxidative stress significantly limit crop productivity and threaten global food security. Traditional breeding and transgenic approaches have been employed to enhance stress tolerance, but they are often time-consuming and face regulatory hurdles. The advent of CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology has revolutionized plant genetic engineering by enabling precise modifications to stress-responsive genes. This review explores recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing for improving abiotic stress resilience in crops. We discuss the mechanisms of CRISPR/Cas systems, their applications in stress tolerance, and emerging approaches such as multiplex genome editing, base editing, and AI-assisted CRISPR. Furthermore, we highlight challenges, ethical considerations, and future directions for integrating CRISPR into agricultural biotechnology. This review underscores the potential of CRISPR-based strategies in developing climate-resilient crops to ensure sustainable food production in the face of global climate change.

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Funding

Competing interests

Declarations. Conflict of interest: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Data availability statement: Not Applicable. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable.

PubMed

Improving plant resistance to non-living stresses using CRISPR gene editing: how it works and future possibilities

Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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