Genomics and Applied Biology 2024, Vol.15, No.3, 120-131 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/gab 126 Moreover, the identification of stress-specific miRNA-TF-gene networks in Arabidopsis under cold stress provides a structural perspective that can be applied to rice. This comprehensive regulatory information can accelerate the development of cold-tolerant rice varieties by highlighting potential targets for genetic manipulation (Sharma et al., 2019). Additionally, the role of miRNAs in regulating plant responses to abiotic stresses, including cold, underscores their potential as novel targets for engineering stress-tolerant crop varieties (Figure 2) (Chaudhary et al., 2021). Figure 2 Overview of miRNA-based strategies for crop improvement (Adopted from Chaudhary et al., 2021) 8.2 Potential for genetic engineering and crop improvement Genetic engineering approaches can exploit the regulatory roles of miRNAs to improve rice tolerance to cold stress. For example, CRISPR/Cas9 editing of target genes of key DEMs in a chilling-tolerant rice variety demonstrated the importance of specific miRNA-target gene pairs in mediating chilling stress tolerance (Zhao et al., 2022). This highlights the potential of using genome editing tools to manipulate miRNA-target interactions for crop improvement. Furthermore, the application of miRNA gene resources in improving agronomic traits in rice, such as stress tolerance, has been well-documented. miRNAs are involved in various biological processes and can significantly affect plant traits, making them valuable targets for genetic improvement (Zheng and Qu, 2015). The identification of miRNA-mediated regulatory networks in drought-tolerant rice cultivars also provides insights into the dynamic interplay of miRNAs in stress responses, which can be harnessed for developing cold-tolerant varieties (Balyan et al., 2017).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzMg==