Gene Editing and Transformation Strategies for Engineering Drought-Tolerant Legumes

Abstract

Legumes play a vital role in agriculture, nutrition, and the economy, but their production faces significant threats. Among these, drought and its unpredictability will be the most damaging constraint in the coming decades. Enhancing drought tolerance is essential for resilient and sustainable legume cultivation, and genetic engineering through gene modification or editing offers promising solutions. Long-term drought tolerance involves regulating molecular pathways, such as the ABA-dependent or independent mechanisms, which control the expression of stress-related genes, making them ideal targets for genetic optimization. However, many legume crop genotypes are difficult to transform due to low transformation or regeneration efficiency. Recent research has therefore focused on both identifying key genes for modification and improving transformation and regeneration techniques. This review examines recent advancements in legume transformation methods and the genetic modifications aimed at increasing drought resilience in legume crops.