Scientists Use Gene Editing to Combat Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus
February 12, 2025| |
A study published in the Journal of Phytopathology demonstrates the efficacy of the CRISPR-Cas9 system in enhancing the resistance of tomato plants against tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV).
ToLCNDV is a highly destructive plant virus that poses a significant threat to tomato plant production worldwide, particularly in Asia and the Mediterranean region. Transmitted by whiteflies, this virus causes severe symptoms, such as leaf curling, stunted growth, vein thickening, and reduced fruit yield. As such, the researchers used gene editing techniques to develop resistance of tomatoes against ToLCNDV.
This study developed a precise and efficient CRISPR-Cas9-based strategy to combat ToLCNDV, targeting five critical viral genome regions. The results showed that three constructs (1T, 2T, and 4T) effectively disrupted the virus, leading to significantly lower viral titers (0.5, 0.42, and 0.25) compared to the infected control plants.
While untreated plants exhibited severe symptoms like leaf yellowing, vein thickening, and curling, plants treated with Cas9 constructs showed only mild symptoms that recovered after approximately 21-dpi. With a 30% transformation efficiency, this study demonstrates the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in developing durable ToLCNDV resistance.
For more information, read the abstract from the Journal of Phytopathology.
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