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REVIEW article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biosafety and Biosecurity
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1395772
This article is part of the Research Topic Advancing Science in Support of Sustainable Bio-Innovation: 16th ISBR Symposium View all 15 articles

Application of CRISPR/Cas-based Gene-Editing for Developing Better Banana

Provisionally accepted
Leena Tripathi Leena Tripathi *Valentine O. Ntui Valentine O. Ntui Jaindra N. Tripathi Jaindra N. Tripathi
  • International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Banana (Musa spp.), including plantain, is one of the major staple food and cash crops grown in over 140 countries in the subtropics and tropics, with around 153 million tons annual global production, feeding about 400 million people. Despite its widespread cultivation and adaptability to diverse environments, banana production faces significant challenges from pathogens and pests that often coexist within agricultural landscapes. Recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing offer transformative solutions to enhance banana resilience and productivity. Researchers at IITA, Kenya, have successfully employed gene editing to confer resistance to diseases such as banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) by targeting susceptibility genes and banana streak virus (BSV) by disrupting viral sequences. Other breakthroughs include the development of semi-dwarf plants, and increased β-carotene content. Additionally, non-browning banana have been developed to reduce food waste, with regulatory approval in the Philippines. The future prospects of gene editing in banana looks promising with CRISPR-based gene activation (CRISPRa) and inhibition (CRISPRi) techniques offering potential for improved disease resistance. The Cas-CLOVER system provides a precise alternative to CRISPR/Cas9, demonstrating success in generating gene-edited banana mutants. Integration of precision genetics with traditional breeding, and adopting transgene-free editing strategies, will be pivotal in harnessing the full potential of gene-edited banana. The future of crop gene editing holds exciting prospects for producing banana that thrive across diverse agroecological zones and offer superior nutritional value, ultimately benefiting farmers and consumers. This article highlights the pivotal role of CRISPR/Cas technology in advancing banana resilience, yield and nutritional quality, with significant implications for global food security.

    Keywords: Banana, CRISPR-Cas, gene editing, Disease Resistance, Nutrition enhancement

    Received: 04 Mar 2024; Accepted: 01 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Tripathi, Ntui and Tripathi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Leena Tripathi, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.