Gene Editing in Grain Legumes for Food Security

Joshua Yeboah Asiamah^1,2Sakina Mahdi¹Kusum R Tamang¹Christian Carson¹Prabesh Koirala¹Emily Nanne Reeds¹Aaron Tettey Asare³Anu Augustine⁴Milind B. Ratnaparkhe⁵KC BANSAL⁶Babu Valliyodan^1*

• ¹Lincoln University, Jefferson City, United States
• ²University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Central Region, Ghana
• ³Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
• ⁴Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Dr. Janaki Ammal Campus, Kannur University, Kerala, India
• ⁵ICAR Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
• ⁶National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi, India

Throughout history, leguminous crops have contributed significantly to the human diet. Grain legumes have long been identified as a valuable nutritional source for humans. However, their significance extends beyond nutrition to global food security, reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers, improving soil health, increasing local communities globally and increasing resilience to climate change. Recognizing their vital importance in nutrition and agricultural production, scientists have worked persistently to uncover new genetic traits in legumes, resulting in enhanced yields, improved nutritional value and increased stress tolerance. Recently, the availability of genomic resources for new traits in legume plants has greatly increased, laying the groundwork for the adoption of advanced breeding technologies. Gene editing has shown significant potential to improve crop outcomes. This review critically examines the latest developments in gene-editing techniques specific to major grain legumes, focusing on their application in enhancing legume crops with significant agronomic characteristics. The article also shows the potential advantages associated with these advancements. Over the years, advancements in technologies such as Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs), Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR/Cas9), and the more recent Prime Editing technique have significantly contributed to genetic enhancements. These innovations have improved nutritional and market traits, boosted farming incomes, and increased the accessibility of affordable, nutritious food, particularly in developing nations. Studies indicate that the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely employed for gene editing in legumes. The advent of this technology has transformed genetic modification by offering exceptional precision and efficiency. This progress has enabled the creation of legumes that are more resistant to climate change and enhanced with improved nutritional content. Our research highlights that soybeans have been the primary focus of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing efforts, surpassing any other grain legume, unlocking significant potential for innovation and improvement. This article presents a scientometric analysis of bibliographic data from the Web of Science using VOSviewer. It highlights global research trends, emphasizing China's leading role in international collaborations, the prominence of soybean (Glycine max) in CRISPR/Cas9 studies, and the key researchers driving advancements in gene editing for food security.