Protoplast Regeneration and Its Use in New Plant Breeding Technologies

The development of gene-editing technology holds tremendous potential for accelerating crop trait improvement to help us address the need to feed a growing global population. However, the delivery and access of gene-editing tools to the host genome and subsequent recovery of successfully edited plants form significant bottlenecks in the application of new plant breeding technologies. Moreover, the methods most suited to achieve a desired outcome vary substantially, depending on species' genotype and the targeted genetic changes. Hence, it is of importance to develop and improve multiple strategies for delivery and regeneration in order to be able to approach each application from various angles. The use of transient transformation and regeneration of plant protoplasts is one such strategy that carries unique advantages and challenges. Here, we will discuss the use of protoplast regeneration in the application of new plant breeding technologies and review pertinent literature on successful protoplast regeneration.

Automated summary

Gene-editing technology has great potential in accelerating crop trait improvement to meet the needs of a growing global population, but the recovery of successfully edited plants remains a bottleneck in the application of new plant breeding technologies. The methods most suitable for achieving the desired outcome vary depending on species' genotype and targeted genetic changes. Hence, developing and improving multiple strategies for delivery and regeneration is crucial in approaching each application from different angles.