IMPROVING CROP DROUGHT TOLERANCE THROUGH GENOME EDITING TECHNOLOGY

The increase in the frequency and intensity of drought due to recent climate changes significantly affects agriculture. Addressing this challenge requires concerted research efforts to develop new crop varieties with increased tolerance to this abiotic stress. Genome editing technology is the latest approach in this direction. This review summarizes recent applications of genome editing in improving drought tolerance in various crops. The CRISPR/Cas9 technique is the newest and most advanced genome editing tool that gives exceptional versatility to develop improved varieties, thus facilitating their cultivation in drought conditions without compromising production.