Plants are vulnerable to pathogens including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which cause critical problems and deficits. Crop protection by plant breeding delivers a promising solution with no obvious effect on human health or the local ecosystem. Crop improvement has been the most powerful approach for producing unique crop cultivars since domestication occurred, making possible the main innovations in feeding the globe and community development. Genome editing is one of the genetic devices that can be implemented, and disease resistance is frequently cited as the most encouraging application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in agriculture. Nanobiotechnology has harnessed the power of genome editing to develop agricultural crops. Nanosized DNA or RNA nanotechnology approaches could contribute to raising the stability and performance of CRISPR guide RNAs. This book brings together the latest research in these areas. CRISPR and RNAi Systems: Nanobiotechnology Approaches to Plant Breeding and Protection presents a complete understanding of the RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 techniques for controlling mycotoxins, fighting plant nematodes, and detecting plant pathogens. CRISPR/Cas genome editing enables efficient targeted modification in most crops, thus promising to accelerate crop improvement. CRISPR/Cas9 can be used for management of plant insects, and various plant pathogens. The book is an important reference source for both plant scientists and environmental scientists who want to understand how nano biotechnologically based approaches are being used to create more efficient plant protection and plant breeding systems. Shows how nanotechnology is being used as the basis for new solutions for more efficient plant breeding and plant protection Outlines the major techniques and applications of both CRISPR and RNAi technologies Assesses the major challenges of escalating these technologies on a mass scale

Genetically engineered (GE) crops were first introduced commercially in the 1990s. After two decades of production, some groups and individuals remain critical of the technology based on their concerns about possible adverse effects on human health, the environment, and ethical considerations. At the same time, others are concerned that the technology is not reaching its potential to improve human health and the environment because of stringent regulations and reduced public funding to develop products offering more benefits to society. While the debate about these and other questions related to the genetic engineering techniques of the first 20 years goes on, emerging genetic-engineering technologies are adding new complexities to the conversation. Genetically Engineered Crops builds on previous related Academies reports published between 1987 and 2010 by undertaking a retrospective examination of the purported positive and adverse effects of GE crops and to anticipate what emerging genetic-engineering technologies hold for the future. This report indicates where there are uncertainties about the economic, agronomic, health, safety, or other impacts of GE crops and food, and makes recommendations to fill gaps in safety assessments, increase regulatory clarity, and improve innovations in and access to GE technology.

Concern about the environmental consequences of the widespread use of pesticides has increased, and evidence of pesticide-resistant virus vectors have continued to emerge. This volume presents a timely survey of the mechanisms of plant resistance and examines current developments in breeding for resistance, with particular emphasis on advances in genetic engineering which allow for the incorporation of viral genetic material into plants. Discusses the mechanisms of innate resistance in strains of tobacco, tomato, and cowpea; various aspects of induced resistance, including the characterization and roles of the pathogenesis-related proteins; antiviral substances and their comparison with interferon; and cross-protection between plant virus strains. Also presents several papers which evaluate the status of genetic engineering as it relates to breeding resistant plants. Among these are discussions of the potential use of plant viruses as gene vectors, gene coding for viral coat protein, satellite RNA, and antisense RNA, and practical issues such as the durability of resistant crop plants in the field.

RNAi technology is used for large-scale screens that systematically shut down each gene in the cell, which can help identify the components necessary for a particular cellular process or an event such as cell division. Exploitation of the pathway is also a promising tool in biotechnology and medicine. Introducing new technology in the study of RNA

Several of the 17 papers in this volume represent diverse strategies for improving sustainability in crop production systems. The maintenance of soil quality and the reclamation of marginal soils, improving tolerance to saline irrigation water, biodegradable alternatives to black plastic mulch, use of natural plant extracts against bacterial disease, and development of cultivars resistant to herbivorous arthropods address urgent priorities in sustainable systems. Two papers examine the driving forces and effects of adopting innovative agricultural technologies in food value chains in underdeveloped regions of the world, and identification of new Asian vegetable crop species for European environments and markets. Three papers reported on managing fruit set and ripening in important fruit crop species like orange, apple, and plum. Postharvest techniques to reduce disease and maintain fruit nutraceutical content were reported in separate papers. Classification techniques, conservation and utilization of unique plant species, and in vitro propagation techniques of species with potential horticultural value were described in four papers.