Advances in improving tomato fruit quality by gene editing

Tomato, a vegetable of considerable global significance, has been the subject of extensive breeding efforts primarily aimed at achieving high yields and resistance to multiple stressors. However, despite these endeavors, the quality of fruits still cannot fully satisfy the diverse preferences of the majority of consumers. The elucidation of genetic determinants underlying fruit quality traits, coupled with the advancement of gene editing techniques, has significantly contributed to the enhancement of tomato quality. Combining with gene editing technology to improve tomato fruit quality traits represents a viable approach for maximizing the utilization of essential genes in breeding programs. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the significant genes associated with tomato fruit quality traits, as well as an overview of the current advancements and potential avenues for enhancing tomato quality through gene editing technology. Four important aspects of fruit quality—appearance, flavor, nutritional profiles and postharvest properties form the basis of the review, providing a thorough update on the state of research in tomato fruit quality improvement via new gene editing techniques.