Possibility of genome editing for melon breeding

Abstract

Genome editing technologies are promising for conventional mutagenesis breeding, which takes a long time to remove unnecessary mutations through backcrossing and create new lines because they directly modify the target genes of elite strains. In particular, this technology has advantages for traits caused by the loss of function. Many efforts have been made to utilize this technique to introduce valuable features into crops, including maize, soybeans, and tomatoes. Several genome-edited crops have already been commercialized in the US and Japan. Melons are an important vegetable crop worldwide, produced and used in various areas. Therefore, many breeding efforts have been made to improve its fruit quality, resistance to plant diseases, and stress tolerance. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was performed, and various genes related to important traits were identified. Recently, several studies have shown that the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be applied to melons, resulting in its possible utilization as a breeding technique. Focusing on two productivity-related traits, disease resistance, and fruit quality, this review introduces the progress in genetics, examples of melon breeding through genome editing, improvements required for breeding applications, and the possibilities of genome editing in melon breeding.