Bioscience Methods 2024, Vol.15, No.6, 264-274 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/bm 268 identification of a new variety, 0113-672COR, for the Colombian Caribbean region (Figure 1) (Rosero et al., 2023). Agrosavia Aurora (0113-672COR) is a newly developed sweet potato variety with enhanced disease resistance and adaptability, particularly suited for growth in tropical and subtropical regions. Studies indicate that Agrosavia Aurora demonstrates high and stable yield performance, achieving substantial productivity across diverse soil conditions, making it a promising genetic resource for staple crop improvement. Figure 1 Morphological characteristics of sweet potato varietyAgrosavia Aurora(0113-672COR) (Adapted from Rosero et al., 2023) Image caption: a) Plant morphology, featuring broad, dense leaves; b) Tuber shape, spindle-shaped and moderately sized; c) Cross-section of the tuber flesh, displaying orange-colored flesh characteristics (Adapted from Rosero et al., 2023) Additionally, the development of genomic prediction models for starch content in tetraploid potato has shown that GS can be a feasible breeding strategy, with significant genetic gains achieved through the selection of high-starch-containing lines (Sverrisdóttir et al., 2017; Stich and Inghelandt, 2018). These success stories highlight the potential of GS to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of sweet potato breeding programs, ultimately leading to the development of high-yielding and high-starch varieties (Sverrisdóttir et al., 2017; Stich and Inghelandt, 2018; Rosero et al., 2023). 6 Prospects of Gene Editing Technology in Sweet Potato Breeding 6.1 Application of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in sweet potato The CRISPR/Cas9 system, a revolutionary genome editing tool, has significantly advanced the field of plant genetics by enabling precise and efficient modifications of target genes. The system operates by utilizing a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) to direct the Cas9 nuclease to a specific DNA sequence, where it induces double-stranded breaks (DSBs). These breaks are subsequently repaired by the cell's natural repair mechanisms, leading to targeted mutations such as insertions, deletions, or substitutions (Bortesi and Fischer, 2015; Wang et al., 2015; Chen et al., 2019). This technology has been successfully applied to various crops, including sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), to enhance desirable traits such as starch content and yield (Wang et al., 2019; Tussipkan and Manabayeva, 2021).
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