Current Trends in CRISPR‐Cas System Based Genome Editing in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Worldwide, the Solanaceae family of plants, especially the tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) has enormous economic significance. Tomatoes serve as a great model plant for fruit biology research and contribute significantly to the human diet. However, breeding attempts in tomato present significant hurdles due to their limited genetic base. Genome editing has been used in tomato breeding to improve fruit quality and yield, increase stress resistance, promote wild tomato domestication and, most recently, tailor tomato varieties for urban farming. CRISPR‐Cas genome editing has significantly increased the pace and effectiveness of tomato breeding. The CRISPR‐Cas approach represents an explicit development in offering precise genome editing with low off‐target mutations, ease of experimental design, increased efficiency, adaptability and cost‐effectiveness. Several major advances in CRISPR‐Cas technology in tomato genome improvement include the development of advanced online tools for guide RNA prediction, availability of efficient vector systems allowing multiplexing and cutting‐edge cloning technologies like Gibson Assembly and Golden Gate Cloning. The use of various Cas9 variants and protospacer‐adjacent motif‐free Cas12a (Cpf1) has also expanded the toolkit for precise genome alteration. This review focuses on the strategy used in CRISPR‐Cas system‐based genome editing, its mechanism, and its recent upgradations, which were effectively utilized in various regimes of tomato crop improvement like domestication, biotic and abiotic stress resistance and fruit quality enhancement.