Dear Colleagues,

Biotechnology plays a crucial role in improving crops by providing techniques that can increase crop yield, enhance resistance to pests and diseases, and make farming more sustainable, in order to feed the world's growing population. Genetic transformation (GT), genome editing (GE), marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (GS), and other biotechnologies are among the methods employed for crop improvement. GT enables the introduction of specific genes in order to impart favorable traits to crops, such as resistance to pests, herbicide tolerance, enhanced nutritional content, and improved shelf life. The recent advancements in and future potential of genetic transformation for crop improvement are being explored. Gene editing is a precise technique that modifies a plant's DNA to achieve changes that would occur naturally in a faster and more controlled manner. Recent technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 have revolutionized crop improvement. Combining the aforementioned methods can minimize controversy and maximize the acceptance of genetically modified crops worldwide. The MAS technique is a DNA-based method that allows breeders to quickly and accurately identify desirable traits in plants without waiting for them to mature. This accelerates the traditional breeding process and enhances its precision by enabling the identification of the specific genes responsible for the desirable traits. Therefore, MAS is a valuable tool for breeders when aiming to select plants with desired traits and improve crop productivity. Genomic selection (GS) studies the complete genetic code of plants to forecast their performance. This technique is especially useful for complex traits like yield, which are influenced by multiple genes. By using genomic selection, breeders can identify and select plants that have the optimum genetic potential for the desired traits. Although technology has immense benefits, it also poses ethical, safety, and regulatory challenges that require careful and thoughtful consideration. Experts worldwide will be invited to submit manuscripts to provide our readers with a comprehensive understanding of these crop improvement tools. Biotechnology is continually advancing and possesses the potential to offer solutions to modern agricultural challenges, such as food security and environmental impact reduction.

Dr. Dilip Panthee
Guest Editor

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• crop improvement
• genetic transformation
• genome editing
• genome-wide association studies
• genomic selection
• marker-assisted selection
• QTL analysis
• RNA-seq analysis