Genome editing in horticultural crops: augmenting trait development and stress resilience

Horticultural crops are important for global nutrition, health, and economic security but are increasingly challenged by climate change and environmental stresses. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-Associated Protein 9) has revolutionized precision breeding by enabling targeted gene modifications that enhance yield, disease resistance, and stress tolerance. This review summarizes recent advancements in the application of CRISPR/Cas9 across fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops, highlighting key achievements in enhancing crop quality, shelf life, and resilience. It also explores the potential of base and prime editing technologies, which offer greater precision and reduced risk of unintended mutations. Despite these advancements, the practical use of genome editing in horticulture faces persistent challenges, including inefficient delivery systems, off-target effects, and the limited regeneration capacity of many species. Furthermore, regulatory ambiguity, ethical considerations, and public skepticism continue to shape the global acceptance and commercialization of genome-edited crops. Integrating CRISPR-based tools into mainstream horticultural breeding programs offers a pathway for the development of climate-resilient, high-quality crops and for sustainable agricultural development in the face of global challenges.