Genomics and Applied Biology 2024, Vol.15, No.1, 47-53 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/gab 52 discovery of a dominant gene conferring resistance to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), a major threat to cassava crops. This resistance, characterized as polygenic and later attributed to a major dominant gene CMD2, has been a cornerstone in breeding programs, particularly in Africa. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has opened new horizons for enhancing disease resistance in cassava. This technology allows for precise modifications of the genome, enabling the development of transgene-free disease-resistant crops. CRISPR/Cas9 has been successfully applied to cassava, demonstrating its efficacy in targeted gene mutations to improve crop traits. Moreover, the technology has been used to edit the Phytoene desaturase (MePDS) gene in cassava, showcasing the high efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 in inducing mutations and the potential for rapid assessment of genome editing. However, the integration of CRISPR/Cas9 with traditional breeding faces challenges, including the evolution of resistance against CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive and the need for thorough investigation of its effects on plant physiological processes. Despite these challenges, CRISPR/Cas9 remains a transformative tool for plant breeding, with applications extending to the development of cultivars with hereditary resistance to diseases. To better integrate traditional breeding techniques with CRISPR/Cas technology, researchers must focus on understanding the genetic basis of naturally occurring resistance and identifying susceptibility factors that can be targeted by CRISPR/Cas9. The use of CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce novel resistance genes or to edit existing ones offers a complementary strategy to traditional breeding, which relies on the selection of naturally resistant varieties. Future research should prioritize the development of CRISPR/Cas9 systems that minimize the potential for resistance evolution, as well as the creation of computational tools for precise gene targeting. Additionally, efforts should be made to establish efficient plant regeneration protocols from protoplasts, particularly for woody species, to facilitate transgene-free editing. The integration of traditional breeding and CRISPR/Cas technology represents a promising approach for developing disease-resistant cassava cultivars. Continued research is essential to overcome current limitations and to harness the full potential of CRISPR/Cas9 for sustainable agricultural production. The future of cassava disease resistance research is bright, with the potential to significantly improve crop resilience and contribute to global food security. Acknowledgments We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Fang X.J, the director of the Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, for reading the initial draft of this paper and providing valuable feedback. We also thank the two anonymous peer reviewers for their critical assessment and constructive suggestions on our manuscript. Funding This project was funded by the Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources under the research contract for the project "Screening and Breeding of Cassava Resources" (Project Number H20230201). Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Ahmad S., Wei X., Sheng Z., Hu P., and Tang S., 2020, CRISPR/Cas9 for development of disease resistance in plants: recent progress, limitations and future prospects, Briefings in Functional Genomics, 19(1): 26-39. https://doi.org/10.1093/bfgp/elz041 Cao Y., Zhou H., Zhou X., and Li F., 2020, Control of plant viruses by CRISPR/Cas system-mediated adaptive immunity, Front. Microbiol., 11: 593700. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.593700 Chavez-Granados P.A., Manisekaran R., Acosta-Torres L.S., and Garcia-Contreras R., 2022, CRISPR/Cas gene-editing technology and its advances in dentistry, Biochimie., 194: 96-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biochi.2021.12.012
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