CRISPR-Cas genome editing has revolutionized plant biotechnology by enabling precise, rapid, and cost-effective modification of agriculturally significant genes. While early applications focused on Cas9-mediated non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) for gene disruption, the current genome-editing repertoire encompasses homology-directed repair (HDR), base editing, prime editing, and epigenome modulation. These technological advancements facilitate targeted allele replacement, nuanced regulation of gene function, and precise modulation of regulatory elements. Next-generation platforms address persistent challenges in plant genome engineering, including off-target effects, limited editing precision, and gene-family redundancy. In tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ), restricted genetic diversity limits the effectiveness of traditional breeding, thereby underscoring the need for precision genome engineering. Recent progress has established tomato as a prominent model for CRISPR-Cas genome editing, attributable to its well-annotated genome, short generation time, and extensive genetic resources. The expanding suite of genome-editing tools enables targeted modification of genes governing key agronomic traits such as fruit development, ripening, nutritional content, plant architecture, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The availability of diverse Cas variants and editing platforms supports customized genome-engineering strategies to address complex challenges, including polygenic trait regulation and gene-family redundancy. This review examines recent advances in CRISPR technologies, tomato transformation and delivery methods, and their applications in enhancing plant phenotypes, fruit quality, and stress tolerance.
Reddy et al. (Mon,) studied this question.