Maize tissue culture, transformation, and genome editing

• Published in: In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Plant 2021-08, Vol.57 (4), p.653-671
• Main Authors: Kausch, Albert P., Nelson-Vasilchik, Kimberly, Tilelli, Michael, Hague, Joel P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced molecular breeding; Agriculture; BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; Biology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Computer applications; Corn; Crop improvement; Crop production; Developmental Biology; Editing; Embryonic growth stage; Food plants; Food security; Gene sequencing; Genetic engineering; Genetic engineering of maize; Genetic modification; Genetic transformation; Genome editing; Genomes; Genomics; Genotypes; Genotyping; Global agriculture; Global economy; Life Sciences; Mutagenesis; Phenotyping; Plant breeding; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Sciences; Plant transformation; Somatic embryogenesis; Special Issue on Genome Editing; Tissue culture; Transformations; Zea mays
• ISSN: 1054-5476; 1475-2689
• DOI: 10.1007/s11627-021-10196-y

The importance of maize ( Zea mays L.) to global agriculture, world economy, and food security is widely known and increasing. Current maize breeding programs are deeply integrated with recent and rapid technological advances in genome sequencing, computational biology, and new genotyping and phenotyping technologies. Transformation and genome editing capabilities are a central hub to an array of advanced molecular and breeding approaches to crop improvement. Tissue culture and somatic embryogenesis play essential and central roles in maize transformation biology. Synergistic applications of maize transformation, advanced genomics, and genome editing provide a potent interdependent triad for functional genomics research and advanced molecular breeding. Implementation of advanced capabilities to transform maize and conduct genome editing will profoundly influence the dynamics of global agriculture ushering in a new era of varietal development and molecular breeding. With over 60.9 Mha planted in 2019 alone, biotech maize accounts for 31% of the world’s maize production. Up to 10% higher yields are achieved using new varieties generated using genetic modification technologies compared to similar conventional varieties. By extension, the impact new varietal releases developed through genome editing will likely be more significant. Advances in transformation and genome editing technologies will facilitate an even wider applicability for the development of new varieties with increasingly complex traits. The introduction of biochemical pathways and the use of synthetic biology have become increasingly more attainable. The future is of genotype independent maize transformation and genome editing, as the working platform will impact world agriculture, global food security, and plant science well into the future.