Enhancing Sugar Crop Resilience to Abiotic Stress Using CRISPR/Cas Tools

Abstract

Sugar crops such as sugarcane, sugar beet, and sweet sorghum are vital to global agriculture, serving as key sources of sweeteners, biofuels, and industrial raw materials. However, their productivity and sustainability are increasingly threatened by abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, heat, chilling, and heavy metal toxicity. These stresses affect complex polygenic traits, necessitating precise and efficient genetic interventions for developing stress-resilient cultivars. This review aims to explore the potential of CRISPR/Cas genome editing technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, CRISPRa, CRISPRi, prime editing, and base editing, in enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in sugar crops. These advanced genome editing tools facilitate targeted modifications, enabling gain-of-function mutations and regulatory network studies to accelerate genetic improvement. A particular focus is given to transcription factor families such as DREB, NAC, and WRKY, which regulate key genes associated with osmoprotection, stomatal regulation, and stress signaling pathways. Furthermore, strategies for generating transgene-free edited plants, including Preassembled CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoproteins-Based Genome Editing, the CASE toolkit, Hi-Edit technology, and Transgene Killer CRISPR technology, are also emphasized. By integrating CRISPR-based strategies with conventional breeding, this review article aims to provide a framework for developing resilient sugar crop varieties capable of withstanding environmental challenges. Additionally, regulatory considerations for genome-edited crops are discussed to highlight the implications for commercial adoption. The insights will contribute to sustainable sugar crop production by leveraging precise genome editing approaches to enhance stress tolerance.