Genomic Interventions for Future-proofing Crops

The rising global challenges of food insecurity demand innovative agricultural solutions. Addressing global food security requires a proactive approach, including the need to future-proof crops against adverse environmental conditions. Climate change has intensified abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat and flooding, resulting in substantial yield losses in globally important food and feed crops. This chapter explores the advantages offered by the integration of advanced genomic tools and multidisciplinary approaches in enhancing crop resilience against the dual challenges of food insecurity and climate change. Genomic approaches such as genome-wide association studies, genomic selection and pangenomics have accelerated the discovery and improvement of complex traits, including yield and stress tolerance. The utilization of genome editing technologies, plant metabolic engineering and synthetic biology has enabled the development of crops with tailored traits and optimized metabolic pathways. For instance, CRISPR-Cas9 has been used to enhance drought tolerance in rice by targeting the OsPYL gene, and metabolic engineering has improved provitamin A content in Golden Rice. Similarly, synthetic biology approaches have been applied to optimize nitrogen use efficiency in maize and to engineer C4 photosynthetic traits into rice for higher productivity. Precision agriculture supported with artificial intelligence and machine learning further complements these scientific and technological advancements by optimizing resource use and decision-making. While challenges persist, these technologies collectively offer tremendous potential to address global agricultural demands and environmental sustainability.