Genetically Modified (GM) and Genome-Edited (GE) plants are opening exciting new possibilities for building sustainable agriculture. These technologies offer practical solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face today—feeding a growing population, coping with climate change, and protecting our environment. With advanced genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, Cas12a, Prime Editing, and multiplex editing, scientists can make precise, targeted changes in plant genomes. This allows for higher yields, improved productivity, and better quality in both field and horticultural crops. Beyond boosting traditional traits, GM and GE approaches can enrich valuable secondary metabolites in medicinal and aromatic plants, creating new opportunities for health, nutrition, and industry. A major benefit of these technologies is the ability to develop disease-resistant crops by fine-tuning susceptibility or resistance genes, which helps reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Genome editing also allows plants to better tolerate stresses like drought, salinity, or extreme temperatures, making crops more resilient in the face of climate change. Behind all these advances are optimized tissue culture and transformation systems, which are essential for producing GM and GE plants efficiently. Equally important is understanding how these crops interact with the soil and ecosystem. Studies on GM and GE plants’ effects on soil organic matter, mineral composition, and beneficial microbes—including bacteria and fungi—are shedding light on their long-term environmental impact and the delicate balance of plant-soil-microbe relationships. Finally, the success of GM and GE technologies doesn’t rely only on science. Ethical considerations, regulatory guidelines, and public acceptance all influence how these innovations are adopted and applied. This research topic aims to bring together advances across genome editing platforms, crop improvement, stress and disease tolerance, secondary metabolite enhancement, soil and microbiome interactions, and societal perspectives. The goal is to explore how GM and GE plants can help create a more productive, resilient, and truly sustainable agricultural future.
Agriculture today faces the dual challenge of feeding a growing population while adapting to climate change. Traditional breeding often struggles to keep pace with emerging stresses such as drought, salinity, and disease. Genetically Modified (GM) and Genome-Edited (GE) plants provide powerful solutions, but their potential remains underutilized due to technical limitations, ecological considerations, and societal acceptance. This Research Topic aims to fill these gaps by highlighting cutting-edge advances in genome editing—CRISPR/Cas systems, Prime Editing, and multiplex approaches—for improving crop yield, stress tolerance, disease resistance, and secondary metabolite content. It also examines soil and microbiome interactions and ethical and regulatory aspects, offering a holistic view. The goal is to guide the development of resilient, productive, and sustainable agricultural systems.
This Research Topic focuses on the use of Genetically Modified (GM) and Genome-Edited (GE) plants to promote sustainable agriculture. It aims to gather studies that leverage advanced genome editing technologies to improve crop yield, quality, stress tolerance, disease resistance, and secondary metabolite production while considering ecological, soil, microbiome, ethical, and regulatory aspects. The collection encourages interdisciplinary research that bridges molecular innovation with practical agricultural applications to address current and future challenges in food security and environmental sustainability.
Suggested themes are the following (but not limited to):
• Advanced genome editing platforms (CRISPR/Cas9, Cas12a, Prime Editing, multiplex editing) • Yield and productivity enhancement in field and horticultural crops • Secondary metabolite enrichment in medicinal and aromatic plants • Development of disease-resistant crops through targeted gene modification • Genome editing for abiotic stress tolerance and climate adaptation • Optimization of plant tissue culture and transformation systems • Soil health, ecosystem interactions, and effects of GM/GE crops on microbiomes • Ethical, regulatory, and public acceptance issues in GM/GE technologies
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Methods
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Article types
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