Aug 2026· Journal of Health and Biology· Vol 2, pp. 47-57· 0 citations
TL;DR
This review emphasizes the use of synthetic genomics-based epigenetic regulation as a new horizon in climate-resilient rice improvement.
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa) is among the most important staple food crops in the world, serving as a main source of food security for approximately one-half of the world's population. Nevertheless, its cultivation is becoming compromised due to climate change, as repeated drought and saline soils, along with erratic temperatures, pose heavy restrictions on its yield. Traditional breeding and genetic engineering have contributed to enhancing crop performance; however, they are still constrained by the complex stress-responsive networks and by the time taken to develop tolerant cultivars. In order to overcome these challenges, technologies on the horizon, synthetic genomics and epigenetic engineering, are becoming game-changers in crop science. Synthetic genomics permits the refactoring and partial reassembly of plant genomes, thereby allowing new gene circuits to be built in, synthetic chromosomes to be installed, and multiplex editing via CRISPR-mediated alterations to increase drought tolerance or salinity resistance or boost photosynthesis in rice. Concurrently, epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation and histone modification, as well as non-coding RNA-mediated regulation, can impose a more dynamic and reversible layer of control on gene expression by modulating stress responses while leaving the actual DNA sequence unaltered. Emerging evidence indicates that certain epigenetic marks are capable of being 'remembered' across generations and could influence long-term resilience to stress. This review emphasizes the use of synthetic genomics-based epigenetic regulation as a new horizon in climate-resilient rice improvement.
As climate change intensifies abiotic stressors—including drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures—global food security faces an unprecedented challenge. Traditional breeding methods, while foundational, often lack the speed and precision required to keep pace with rapid environmental shifts. Biotechnological approaches, ranging from advanced genomics to precise genome editing, offer powerful tools for the development of stress-tolerant crop varieties. This paper explores the integration of modern biotechnological interventions, such as Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS), transgenics, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, in enhancing crop resilience. By identifying and manipulating key quantitative trait loci and stress-responsive gene networks, scientists can engineer crops with improved physiological mechanisms, such as enhanced osmotic adjustment, robust antioxidant systems, and optimized root architecture. The analysis examines the technical frameworks of these biotechnological strategies, addressing both their potential to stabilize yields under adverse conditions and the regulatory hurdles surrounding gene-edited crops. Furthermore, the paper highlights the critical need to balance resilience traits with yield potential, avoiding "yield drag" in non-stressed environments. Ultimately, the paper positions these biotechnological advancements as critical components of a resilient agricultural future, essential for maintaining productivity in increasingly hostile climates. By bridging the gap between molecular research and field-scale implementation, biotechnology serves as an essential pillar for sustainable food security, enabling agriculture to thrive despite the compounding pressures of climate change and unpredictable environmental variability.
Research Author· International Journal of Inn...· 0 citations
This review systematically examines how CRISPR-Cas9 enables targeted engineering of stress tolerance in major crops through gene knockout and knock-in strategies, and highlights emerging synergies with functional genomics, multi-omics integration, and high-throughput phenotyping to accelerate target discovery and validation.
T. Khan, A. A. Abro, U. Zulfiqar et al.· Functional & Integrative Gen...· 0 citations
This assessment explores the groundbreaking possibilities of CRISPR-driven genome editing and biofortification methods for creating climate-resilient, nutrient-rich crops and suggests future pathways for utilizing biotechnological advancements to increase agricultural sustainability and human nutrition.
P. B. Angon, Sujit Mondal, A. Roy et al.· Frontiers in Plant Physiolog...· 0 citations
Malnutrition and climate-induced stress remain major constraints to global food and nutritional security despite the yield gains of the Green Revolution. Solanaceae crops such as tomato, potato, brinjal, and pepper are key sources of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Yet, their genetic improvement has been limited by narrow diversity and complex polygenic traits. The advent of CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing provides a transformative platform for precision crop improvement by enabling targeted modification of genes controlling stress tolerance, yield, and nutritional quality. In Solanaceae, CRISPR/Cas applications have successfully enhanced resistance against major pathogens (SlMlo1, SlPelo, SlDCL2), improved abiotic stress tolerance through editing of SlMAPK3, SlCBF1, and SlBZR1, and optimized fruit quality traits via modulation of Psy1, CrtR-b2, and fiAD2/3. Emerging innovations, such as base and prime editing, and RNP-mediated transgene-free delivery, are expanding the precision and scope of editing. However, challenges persist, including genotype-dependent transformation, low HDR efficiency, and incomplete understanding of off-target and epigenetic effects. Integrating CRISPR with omics-guided gene discovery, efficient transformation systems, and regulatory harmonization can accelerate the development of nutritionally enriched, stress-resilient, and sustainable Solanaceae varieties. This review synthesizes recent advances, identifies critical limitations, and outlines future opportunities for deploying CRISPR/Cas technology to achieve next-generation breeding and food system resilience.
Vandana Thakur, A. Vats, Rahul Kumar et al.· Plants· 0 citations
This synthesis provides a framework for translating mechanistic hormonal insights into field-applicable cultivars to ensure global food security and proposes a systems-level roadmap for developing climate-resilient rice cultivars capable of maintaining yield stability across a volatile combinatorial stress landscape.
Shui-Xing Zhu, Jing Zhu, Dikhnah Alshehri et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
Simple Summary Wheat, rice, maize, barley, and sorghum feed most of the world, but their harvests are increasingly damaged by weather extremes that arrive together, such as drought combined with heat, or salty soil combined with cold. When two stresses hit at once, crop damage is worse than either stress alone would cause, and plants respond in ways that differ from how they respond to a single stress. Most studies still test crops against only one stress at a time, leaving a poor understanding of how plants cope with combinations. This review brings together three areas of plant science that are usually studied separately. These are the internal switches, called regulatory proteins, that turn stress defence genes on and off, the chemical markers on plant genetic material that can remember past stress and help the plant respond faster next time, and modern gene editing tools that can fine tune these systems in crop plants. By connecting these three areas into one framework, the review shows which mechanisms are well understood, which remain unknown, and which crops need further study, particularly barley and sorghum. This work offers a roadmap for researchers and plant breeders aiming to develop cereal varieties that can withstand multiple weather stresses at once, supporting global food security as climate conditions become more unpredictable and severe.
B. Ali, A. Hafeez, N. Imin· Biology· 0 citations
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