Genome Editing in Crop Plants – From Idea to Implementation

CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing has the potential to revolutionize the breeding process of crop plants. Typically, to create genome editing events, transgenic plants expressing the genome editing reagents are created. If desired, the genes for these reagents are later segregated out through crosses. However, for some crops, this process creates major bottlenecks that need to be overcome to make the genome editing tool truly relevant: 1) Crops like Pepper do not readily regenerate and thus the currently preferred pipeline for genome editing cannot be implemented. 2) Crops like Potato are to a large extent vegetatively propagated and thus the genome editing reagents cannot readily be segregated out. The key to solving these constrains is in the delivery of the genome editing reagents to the plant tissue. Results will be presented from delivery methodologies that include transient expression and in planta delivery.