Intelligent Gene Editing in Plants

Intelligent Gene Editing in Plants analyzes how AI-enabled design and CRISPR-based genome engineering are reshaping plant genetics, with a clear functional focus on delivering durable gains in crop productivity, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality.

The work unfolds in three parts: [i] a foundational survey of genome-editing technologies and the evolving role of AI in precise trait modifications and outcome prediction; [ii] a thorough exploration of applications and synergies, including AI-assisted gRNA optimization, off-target mitigation, regulatory-network analysis, and trait enhancement for disease resistance and climate resilience; and [iii] an emerging-horizons section on cis-regulatory edits, omics integration, synthetic biology, and next-generation editing.

Throughout, the volume interweaves practical experiences, cutting-edge methodologies, and case studies, alongside discussions of biosafety, ethical concerns, governance, and public perception, providing a holistic, decision-ready resource for students, researchers, practitioners, and regulatory authorities to navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of plant gene editing, with significant implications for sustainable agriculture and global food security.

• Bridges CRISPR and AI into a unified platform that enables adaptive prototyping, rigorous validation, and scalable deployment in diverse cropping systems
• Streamlines design-to-delivery pipelines, realizing more reliable translation into crop improvements and shorter development timelines
• Integrates multi-omics data, phenotypic profiles, and environmental context to model performance and guide targeted interventions

Aftab Ahmad earned his PhD and completed postdoctoral research in plant molecular biology at the University of Shizuoka, Japan, under the prestigious 21st Century Center of Excellence Program. He also served as a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of California Davis, United States. With over a decade of teaching experience in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, Dr. Aftab now continues to advance plant genome editing research aimed at improving crop resilience and productivity at the Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Oman. He has published in leading international peer-reviewed journals such as Frontiers in Plant Science, Journal of Biomedical Science, Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, Journal of Cereal Science, Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, and many more.

Baohong Zhang is a THCAS Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biology at East Carolina University and an internationally recognized leader in genomics and biotechnology. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Plant Genetics and Breeding from China Agricultural University and his PhD in Environmental Toxicology from Texas Tech University. For over 20 years, Dr. Zhang has conducted pioneering research in transgenic technologies, genome editing, and functional genomics, supported by major funding agencies such as the NSF, NIH, DoD, and USDA, as well as industry partners including the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and DuPont. He is a prolific author, with several publications listed as Highly Cited Papers by the ISI Web of Science. He is Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Guest Editor for multiple international journals, including Functional & Integrative Genomics, Plants, Scientific Reports, Plant Biotechnology Journal, Molecular Biotechnology, Plant Molecular Biology, and Journal of Cotton Research. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Zhang has received numerous honors, including more recently the ECU Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity Award (2017), the Cotton Researcher of the Year (2018), the Lifetime Achievement Research Award (2019), and the Cotton Biotechnology Award (2020).

Kamel A. Abd-Elsalam is currently a Research Professor at the Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza. He earned his PhD in molecular plant pathology through a joint program between Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany, and Suez Canal University, Egypt, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Christian Albrechts University. His research focuses on nanobiotechnology applications in agriculture and plant protection, and he has authored numerous peer‑reviewed articles and edited books with major international publishers. His scientific contributions have been recognized nationally and regionally, including awards from the Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils for research excellence in biotechnology and the Egyptian State Award for Agricultural Scientific Excellence from the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. He has been recognized among the world’s top 2% most influential scientists in nanobiotechnology for three consecutive years (2021–2023), according to global rankings developed by Stanford University. Since 2019, he has served as the Editor-in-Chief of two Elsevier book series, Nanobiotechnology for Plant Protection and Genome Modified Plants and Microbes in Food and Agriculture.

Ahmed Al-Harrasi, PhD, is a Professor of Organic Chemistry and Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies, Research and External Relations at the University of Nizwa, Oman, where he also founded the Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center (NMSRC). His research spans organic chemistry and chemical biology, with a focus on natural products and related applications. He has led numerous externally and internally funded research projects as Principal Investigator and contributes to international research collaboration and capacity building. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the International Basic Sciences Program (IBSP) of UNESCO. He also serves the scientific community as a reviewer for international chemistry journals and participates in academic conferences.