Journal of Tea Science Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.3, 160-168 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/jtsr 160 Research Report Open Access CRISPR Revolution: Precision Breeding for Enhanced Tea Quality and Disease Resistance Jie Huang, Haomin Chen Hainan Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding author: haomin.chen@hitar.org Journal of Tea Science Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.3 doi: 10.5376/jtsr.2024.14.0015 Received: 17 Apr., 2024 Accepted: 28 May, 2024 Published: 12 Jun., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Huang and Chen, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Huang J., and Chen H.M., 2024, CRISPR revolution: precision breeding for enhanced tea quality and disease resistance, Journal of Tea Science Research, 14(3): 160-168 (doi: 10.5376/jtsr.2024.14.0015) Abstract CRISPR/Cas genome editing has shown immense potential in agricultural applications, including improving crop quality and disease resistance. CRISPR/Cas9 and its variants have successfully introduced targeted modifications in plant genomes, enhancing traits such as pathogen resistance and nutritional quality. The application of CRISPR technology in tea breeding has already demonstrated promising results, enabling the cultivation of disease-resistant tea plants and improving tea quality through precise genetic modifications. The CRISPR revolution has opened new avenues for precision breeding in tea, providing a powerful and efficient method to enhance tea quality and disease resistance. By leveraging the advanced capabilities of the CRISPR/Cas system, this study seeks to develop tea varieties with improved traits, addressing the challenges of crop quality and disease management in tea production. Future research should focus on optimizing CRISPR technology and addressing potential limitations to fully harness the benefits of this revolutionary technology in tea breeding. Keywords CRISPR technology; Precision breeding; Tea quality; Disease resistance; Genome editing 1 Introduction CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology, coupled with the CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), has revolutionized the field of genetic engineering since its discovery as a bacterial adaptive immune system. This technology allows for precise, targeted modifications to the genome, making it a powerful tool for both basic research and applied sciences. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely adopted due to its simplicity, efficiency, and versatility in editing genes across various organisms, including plants (Chen et al., 2019; Veillet et al., 2020; Ahmad et al., 2020). Recent advancements have further enhanced its capabilities, introducing techniques such as base editing and prime editing, which allow for even more precise genetic modifications (Veillet et al., 2020; Zhu et al., 2020; Li et al., 2021). Precision breeding, particularly through genome editing technologies like CRISPR, is crucial for addressing the challenges faced by modern agriculture. Traditional breeding methods, while effective, are often time-consuming and less precise. In contrast, CRISPR technology enables the rapid development of crops with desirable traits such as enhanced disease resistance, improved yield, and better nutritional quality (Langner et al., 2018; Chen et al., 2019; Zaidi et al., 2020). This is particularly important in the context of global food security, where increasing population and climate change pose significant threats to crop production. By enabling the development of crops that can withstand biotic and abiotic stresses, CRISPR technology holds the promise of creating more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems (Borrelli et al., 2018; Ahmad et al., 2020; Zaidi et al., 2020). This study explores the current state of CRISPR technology and its applications in plant genome editing, assessing the impact of CRISPR-mediated precision breeding on improving tea quality, including aspects such as flavor, nutritional content, and yield. Additionally, the study investigates the role of CRISPR in cultivating disease-resistant tea varieties, aiming to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and promote more sustainable agricultural practices. The research aims to identify the challenges and limitations of using CRISPR technology in tea breeding and propose potential solutions to overcome these obstacles. By achieving these objectives, this study
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