Journal of Tea Science Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.3, 160-168 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/jtsr 164 Figure 3 The workflow of CRISPR/Cas system in the plant (A) and fungi (B) (Adopted from Paul et al., 2021) Image caption: The Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is the common method for genomic modification in plants, including the CRISPR/Cas system delivery. The CRISPR/Cas system is being inserted into the plant genome. The ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery into plant protoplast generates no trace except targeted modification in desired loci in the genome. They can be delivered by direct transfection or introduction of a preassembled CRISPR/Cas system. The Polyethylene glycol, PEG-mediated transformation is the common method for genomic modification in fungi, which resembles direct transfection of binary vector to plant protoplast. The Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is also optional in the fungal genome modification. With these transformation methods, generation of broad-spectrum resistance can be performed by using each or both mutants (Adopted from Paul et al., 2021) Advancements in CRISPR technology have enabled crops to resist various pathogens. For example, CRISPR/Cas9 has been used to develop plants with enhanced resistance to both biotic (pathogens) and abiotic (environmental) stresses, which could be highly beneficial for tea cultivation under different growing conditions (Rönspies et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2022). Although there are few direct studies on tea plants in the literature, it is foreseeable that CRISPR technology also has great potential in disease resistance and improvement of tea plants through the wide application of gene editing technology. The technology enables rapid and precise editing of the tea plant genome, enabling improvement of pathogen resistance and other important agronomic traits (Sun et al., 2019) 5 Ethical and Regulatory Considerations 5.1 Ethical implications of CRISPR use in agriculture The application of CRISPR technology in agriculture raises several ethical concerns. One primary issue is the potential for unintended consequences on ecosystems and biodiversity. The precise nature of CRISPR allows for targeted genetic modifications, but the long-term effects of these changes are not fully understood. There is a risk that edited genes could spread to wild relatives of crops, potentially disrupting natural ecosystems (Chen et al., 2019; Zhu et al., 2020; Sampath et al., 2023). Additionally, the use of CRISPR in agriculture may exacerbate existing inequalities in the food system. Wealthier nations and large agribusinesses are more likely to have access to this technology, potentially widening the gap between developed and developing countries in terms of agricultural productivity and food security (Veillet et al., 2020; Zaidi et al., 2020; Tang et al., 2023). Ethical considerations also extend to the welfare of farmers, who may become dependent on patented CRISPR-modified seeds, leading to issues of seed sovereignty and economic exploitation (Sampath et al., 2023; Gupta et al., 2023).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==