Part 1 of this volume reviews advances in gene editing techniques such as insertion-based genome edits, base editing, guide RNAs and CRISPR/Cas off targeting. Part 2 surveys applications of gene editing in key cereal and vegetable crops.

Genome editing is rapidly transforming plant research. The technique offers unparalleled precision in breeding without the need to introduce foreign DNA into plants. CRISPR/Cas systems have established themselves as the leading technique in genome editing.

Genome editing for precision crop breeding takes stock of the wealth of research on these techniques and their potential in crop breeding. Chapters in this volume review advances in techniques such as TALENS and zinc finger nucleases, double-strand break repair techniques, insertion-based genome edits, base editing, guide RNAs and gRNA/Cas9 constructs. This collection also surveys applications of gene editing in improving key traits in key cereal crops including barley, maize and sorghum as well as brassicas, tomatoes and perennials.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, Genome editing for precision crop breeding will be a standard reference for university and other researchers involved in crop breeding, government and other agencies involved in regulating advances in crop breeding (such as genetic modification), crop breeding companies and farmers interested in the latest breeding techniques.

Part 1 Genome editing techniques
1.Using TALENs for genome editing in plants: Hilal Betul Kaya, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Turkey; Rhitu Rai, ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, India; and Adam J. Bogdanove, Cornell University, USA;
2.Double strand break (DSB) repair pathways in plants and their application in genome engineering: Natalja Beying, Carla Schmidt and Holger Puchta, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany;
3.Advances in the generation of insertion-based genome edits in plants: Baike Wang and Juan Wang, Institute of Horticulture Crops – Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China; Shaoyong Huang, Institute of Horticulture Crops – Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences and College of Forestry and Horticulture – Xinjiang Agricultural University, China; and Yaping Tang, Ning Li, Shengbao Yang, Tao Yang and Qinghui Yu, Institute of Horticulture Crops – Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China;
4.Viruses as vectors for the delivery of gene-editing reagents: Evan E. Ellison, James C. Chamness and Daniel F. Voytas, University of Minnesota, USA;
5.Progress in precise and predictable genome editing in plants with base editing: Sabine Fräbel, Shai J. Lawit, Jingyi Nie, David G. Schwark, Thomas J. Poorten and Nathaniel D. Graham, Pairwise Plants, USA;
6.Advances in guide RNA design for editing plant genomes using CRISPR-Cas systems: Kaiyuan Chen, Hao Liu and Kabin Xie, Huazhong Agricultural University, China; Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar and Ling-Ling Chen, Huazhong Agricultural University, and Guangxi University, China;
7.Advances in assembling gRNA/Cas9 constructs in genome editing of plants: Marta Vázquez Vilar, Sara Selma, Asun Fernández del Carmen and Diego Orzáez, Instituto de Biología Molecular and Celular de Plantas de Valencia (CSIC-UPV), Spain;
8.Strategies for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing: from delivery to production of modified plants: William Gordon-Kamm, Pierluigi Barone, Sergei Svitashev, Jeffry D. Sander, Sandeep Kumar and Todd Jones, Corteva Agriscience, USA;
9.Advances in screening plants for edits and off-targets: Chun Wang and Kejian Wang, China National Rice Research Institute, China;
10.Targeted modification of promoters: Andika Gunadi and Ning Zhang, Boyce Thompson Institute, USA; and John J. Finer, The Ohio State University, USA;
11.The regulation of genome-edited crops: Gregory Jaffe, Center for Science in the Public Interest, USA;

Part 2 Applications
12.Genome editing of barley: Martin Becker, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Germany; and Goetz Hensel, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Germany, and Palacký University, Czech Republic;
13.Genome editing of maize: Jacob D. Zobrist, Morgan McCaw, Minjeong Kang, Alan L. Eggenberger, Keunsub Lee, and Kan Wang, Iowa State University, USA;
14.Genome editing of sorghum: Aixia Li, Shandong University, China; and David R. Holding, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA;
15.CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in Brassica: Cheng Dai, Xia Tian and Chaozhi Ma, Huazhong Agricultural University, China;
16.Genome editing of tomatoes and other Solanaceae: Joyce Van Eck, The Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell University, USA;
17.Genome editing of woody perennial trees: Chung-Jui Tsai, University of Georgia, USA;