Genetic Databases and Gene Editing Tools for Enhancing Crop Resistance against Abiotic Stress

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Plants are subjected to various environmental stresses that negatively impact growth and development and limit crop productivity. Therefore, in order to meet the requirements of the growing world population and food security, it is essential to develop cultivars resistant to abiotic stresses. In recent years, with the availability of genetic databases and the advancement in genome editing techniques, it is feasible to edit target genes with precision and create new opportunities for crop improvement that conventional breeding methods could not achieve. The genome-editing method using CRISPR-Cas systems is very powerful and confers exceptional versatility to develop improved cultivars at abiotic stresses. These efficient gene editing techniques facilitate the cultivation of superior-performing genotypes in challenging environmental conditions without compromising yield. ABSTRACT: Abiotic stresses extensively reduce agricultural crop production globally. Traditional breeding technology has been the fundamental approach used to cope with abiotic stresses. The development of gene editing technology for modifying genes responsible for the stresses and the related genetic networks has established the foundation for sustainable agriculture against environmental stress. Integrated approaches based on functional genomics and transcriptomics are now expanding the opportunities to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying abiotic stress responses. This review summarizes some of the features and weblinks of plant genome databases related to abiotic stress genes utilized for improving crops. The gene-editing tool based on clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) has revolutionized stress tolerance research due to its simplicity, versatility, adaptability, flexibility, and broader applications. However, off-target and low cleavage efficiency hinder the successful application of CRISPR/Cas systems. Computational tools have been developed for designing highly competent gRNA with better cleavage efficiency. This powerful genome editing tool offers tremendous crop improvement opportunities, overcoming conventional breeding techniques’ shortcomings. Furthermore, we also discuss the mechanistic insights of the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing technology. This review focused on the current advances in understanding plant species’ abiotic stress response mechanism and applying the CRISPR/Cas system genome editing technology to develop crop resilience against drought, salinity, temperature, heavy metals, and herbicides.