The application of antisense technology for crop improvement: A review

Abstract

The global population is increasing alarmingly, which calls for efficient methods of food production. Since domestication, people have been working on improving food crops for production and productivity. Genetic modification is one of the methods under use. Antisense technology, which includes antisense RNA (asRNA) and RNA interference (RNAi), is a gene regulatory strategy that is widely used for crop improvement. asRNA and RNAi mediated gene silencing is effective methods for regulating undesirable organic phenomena with no genomic alteration of the target gene by base pairing between asRNA and mRNA targets. Crops modified by engineering novel RNA interference and asRNA pathways allow small RNA molecules to alter organic phenomenon. Antisense technology plays an important role in generating high yielding, disease and pest resistant, high nutritional value, and stress-tolerant crop varieties. This review encompasses research articles on the two important antisense technologies to which RNAi (93%) was frequently used for crop improvement as compared to the asRNA (7%) technology. Regarding the crops improved using antisense technology, vegetables (41%) took the first attention. Most of the research articles reviewed were on improving crops for biotic stress resistance (29.6%), followed by fruit improvement and enhancing nutritional values (18.5%). This review provides an overview of the recent developments in antisense technology and its contribution to crop improvement.