Faster, Smarter, Precise: Integrating Speed Breeding and CRISPR-Based New Genomic Techniques into the Conventional Field Crop Breeding Pipeline

Genomic Selection Integrated with High-Throughput Phenotyping and Speed Breeding for Smart and Greener Rice (Oryza sativa) Improvement

This narrative review critically examines recent advances in genomic selection for rice and its integration with high-throughput genotyping, high-throughput phenotyping, machine learning, multi-environment prediction, and speed breeding.

Integrating speed breeding and genomic tools to accelerate genetic gain in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

ADVANCED BREEDING TECHNOLOGIES FOR FRUIT CROPS: GENOMIC SELECTION, SPEED BREEDING AND GENOME EDITING

Fruit crops are essential components of global agriculture, contributing substantially to nutritional security, farm income, employment and agricultural diversification. However, genetic improvement of perennial fruit crops is constrained by long juvenile phases, extended generation intervals, large plant size, high heterozygosity, polyploidy, reproductive barriers, complex quantitative trait architecture and strong genotype × environment interactions. These limitations make conventional crossing and phenotypic selection time-consuming, resource-intensive and often inefficient for traits that can only be evaluated after several years. Recent advances in genomics and biotechnology provide opportunities to overcome these constraints and accelerate genetic gain. Genomic selection (GS) enables genome-wide prediction of breeding values and early selection of superior individuals for complex traits, reducing dependence on prolonged phenotypic evaluation. Speed breeding complements genomic selection by shortening generation intervals through controlled environmental conditions, manipulation of flowering, grafting and other generation-acceleration strategies, thereby increasing the number of breeding cycles achievable within a given period. Precision genomics, particularly CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing, enables targeted modification of genes and regulatory regions associated with disease resistance, fruit quality, nutritional composition, plant architecture and reproductive traits. Recent developments in multiplex editing, promoter editing, base editing and prime editing are further expanding the precision and versatility of genome engineering. The integration of genomic selection, speed breeding and precision genomics with high-throughput phenotyping offers considerable potential to transform fruit breeding from a predominantly phenotype-driven process into a predictive, accelerated and precision-oriented system. This review summarizes the principles, applications, successes and limitations of these advanced breeding technologies and discusses their potential integration for developing high-yielding, high quality, climate-resilient and market-preferred fruit cultivars.

CRISPR–Cas technologies for precision genome editing in plants: advances, applications, and future perspectives

This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of a recent advances in CRISPR–Cas technologies and their strategic applications in crop genetics and hybrid breeding, and showcases how these technologies accelerate hybrid breeding by engineering male sterility systems, fixing heterosis, and generating high-throughput mutant libraries for trait discovery.

Genomics and crop improvement: focus on gene editing and its regulation

The future of crop improvement using GEd technologies lies in the harmonisation or alignment of global policies and regulations to support the trade of agricultural produce and ensure that growers and consumers can benefit from GEd technology.

CRISPR and Artificial Intelligence in Crop Improvement: A Critical Synthesis for Precision Plant Breeding

It is argued that AI and CRISPR are complementary components of an emerging design-build-test-learn framework rather than a mature autonomous breeding platform, and progress will depend on plant-specific benchmark datasets, prospective validation, multi-environment field trials, interoperable data standards, equitable access to transformation and computational infrastructure, and governance focused on the properties and evidence of resulting products.