Implementing genome editing in barley breeding

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the status of the genome editing efforts in Hordeum vulgare L. and provides an overview of the technical advances and obstacles of applying genome editing in barley. It also highlights the potential of genome editing in barley breeding with the focus on breeding for high yielding, disease resistant and stable varieties. The CRISPR/Cas technology is a breakthrough in genome editing due to its robustness and easy to use programming, especially for generating targeted mutations to switch off genes that have a negative impact on food quality, increase susceptibility to pathogens, or divert metabolic flux away from useful end products. Genome editing studies are expected to advance barley breeding by accelerating the breeding process and enabling easier multiplexing of traits. The chapter offers an outlook on the future of barley genome editing techniques based on CRISPR/Cas system.