Deficiencies in essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A are serious global health issues affecting millions worldwide. Biofortification improves nutritional quality by increasing the concentration or bioavailability of essential micronutrients. Besides increasing beneficial nutrients, biofortification can also reduce the concentration of toxic chemicals in food crops, offering a scalable and sustainable approach to complement traditional flour and salt fortification. Biofortification has extremely low running costs and the potential to reach rural communities neglected by traditional fortification schemes. In the last several decades, many species of biofortified crops have been produced with a wide range of techniques, such as the overexpression of rate-limiting biosynthetic genes.

Recent breakthroughs in gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas and its derived methods offer a precise, transgene-free approach to biofortify staple crops, which will likely facilitate wider acceptance of consumers and regulators. This approach is further empowered by insights into the synthesis, transport, and catabolism of micronutrients in crop plants.

This Research Topic aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). It aims to examine the latest advancements in gene-editing technologies and their applications to nutrient biofortification in food crops as well as agronomic evaluation and consumer acceptance of gene-edited biofortified crops. We welcome submissions including original research articles, methods, and case studies that focus on:

● CRISPR/Cas-based and alternative gene-editing technologies for enhancing vitamin, mineral, and essential amino acid content or bioavailability in crops
● Decreasing the concentration or bioavailability of anti-nutrients and toxins in crops
● Metabolic pathways underlying micronutrient biosynthesis, accumulation, and postharvest retention in biofortified crops
● Physiological, biochemical, and consumer quality assessment of biofortified crops enabled by gene editing
● Phenotypic stability and agronomic performance of gene-edited biofortified varieties under field conditions
● Integration of gene-edited, biofortified crops into the current cropping systems
● Regulatory frameworks and consumer acceptance of gene-edited, biofortified crops

Authors uncertain about the alignment of their work with this Research Topic are encouraged to contact the editors to discuss the suitability of their submissions. This Research Topic is being published in collaboration with the Phytochemical Society of North America.

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Gene Editing for Biofortification: Innovations and Applications