CRISPR-Based Gene Editing : A Solution for Global Food Security

The discovery of CRISPR has revolutionized crop improvement in agriculture and is emerging as a key factor in addressing the global food security challenges. This new volume highlights the new frontiers and applications of the cutting-edge CRISPR-based gene editing systems and discusses how to harness the power of these tools for improving food crops and developing climate-smart crops to meet the global food demand in the future. The volume reviews the applications of CRISPR-Cas systems in improving plants’ biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, increasing nutritional quality and yield, and more. The book also reviews the application of CRISPR-Cas in the development of desirable livestock and large animals to achieve global food security. In addition, the regulatory aspects and the risks associated with this technology are discussed as well.

Shakeel Ahmad, PhD, is Senior Scientific Officer and Consultant at the Seed Center and Plant Genetic Resources Bank, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he is also Principal Investigator of the Laboratory for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology. He and his team are curating the plant gene bank and developing the DNA fingerprints of available plant genetic resources using genomics and molecular tools. Dr. Ahmad has published research articles and book chapters and serves as an editorial board member for several journals. He is a member and an ambassador of the American Society of Plant Biologists, USA, and other professional organizations.

Asif Ali Khan, PhD, is Chairperson of the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority, Islamabad, Pakistan. He is a Professor Emeritus and UNESCO Chair and former Professor and Vice Chancellor of MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan. He has authored books as well as chapters and manuals and over 150 research articles. He developed several varieties of crops and vegetables for general cultivation and has contributed to breeding FH 87, a high oil content cotton variety as well as many promising cotton lines. He has launched several R&D, outreach and capacity-building projects with international and local organizations.

Muhammad Arshad Javed, PhD, is Professor and Head of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics at the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. He has over 29 years of teaching, research, and development (R&D) experience. His expertise in plant sciences covers molecular genetics, tissue culture, haploid plant breeding, and agronomy. He formerly served at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia. He has research grants from national and international agencies. He has published over 65 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals and presented over 60 conference papers at different national and international conferences.