Gene editing for tolerance to temperature stress in plants: A review

Abstract

Temperature stress is a factor limiting agricultural production in many regions. High and low temperatures can cause irreversible damage to plants, affecting the development and profitability of crops, and are a threat to national and global food security. Raising agricultural outputs by developing elite crop cultivars capable of coping with damaging environmental temperatures is a primary objective of plant breeders. Gene editing systems offer opportunities to rapidly develop improved cultivars. Gene editing has already been applied to several species to improve valuable traits, including yield, quality, nutritional values and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. This review focuses on the recent progress and future potential of gene editing in developing new cultivars with greater heat and cold stress tolerance.