Precision genetic manipulation: CRISPR toolkits reshape plant biology

Abstract The emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology has revolutionized plant genome engineering over the past decade. This review begins by highlighting four seminal early CRISPR studies published in Plant Physiology that laid critical foundations for crop genome editing and tool development. We then summarize major advances in optimizing CRISPR performance, expanding targeting scope, and developing strategies for transgene removal and transient editing. We also discuss a wide array of innovative applications beyond gene knockout, such as gene targeting, chromosome engineering, synthetic apomixis, and gene drive. Furthermore, we introduce key CRISPR-derived tools, including base editors, prime editors, and programmable transcriptional and epigenetic regulators. Finally, we outline remaining challenges to stimulate future exploration of the full potential of CRISPR toolkits.