Call for articles – Genome editing for improving plant stress tolerance: challenges and opportunities

NEW DEADLINE. June 30, 2026

Agricultural productivity is increasingly jeopardized by abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, as well as biotic stresses like pests and pathogens. These challenges are further exacerbated by climate change, which intensifies environmental variability and resource scarcity. Conventional breeding approaches often fall short in addressing these complex and multifaceted stresses due to their lengthy timelines and limited genetic variability. Genome editing offers a transformative solution to address these challenges by enabling precise modifications of plant genomes to enhance stress tolerance. However, significant hurdles persist, including off-target effects, the inherent complexity of stress-related traits, and regulatory and public acceptance issues. Additionally, the intricate genetic networks underlying stress responses require a deeper understanding to facilitate effective manipulation through targeted genome breeding.

This special issue aims to highlight the significant achievements and the ongoing challenges in utilizing genome editing to improve plant resilience. Specifically, it will seek to explore advancements in genome editing technologies such as CRISPR systems, base-editing, prime-editing, and other CRISPR-based tools, to target biotic and abiotic stress-responsive genes and regulatory networks. A multidisciplinary approach integrating omics technologies, synthetic biology, and genetic engineering can further accelerate progress in this field. By focusing on these key aspects, this Special issue aims to provide a framework for the development of resilient crop varieties to sustain agricultural productivity.

We invite contributions (original research articles, perspectives, and methods papers) addressing the application of CRISPR-based genome editing tools like CRISPR/Cas systems, base-editing, and prime-editing in targeting stress-responsive genes, transcription factors, and regulatory networks. Themes of interest include advancements in genome editing technologies, engineering of stress-resilient metabolic pathways, and integration of genome editing with omics approaches. Studies on engineering plant-microbe interactions, synthetic biology, and climate-resilient crop development are also encouraged.

This collection aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current innovations and foster interdisciplinary collaborations to advance stress-tolerant crop development for sustainable agriculture.

 

Note: Reviews will be on invitation only. No spontaneous review will be handled.

 

All submissions need to be sent via Wiley’s Research Exchange submission portal: wiley.atyponrex.com/journal/PPL.

Deadline for submission:  31st January 2026 30 June 2026

Good to know: no publication fee and free to view for two months (from Issue compilation)

 

Guest editors