Integrating genome editing with omics, artificial intelligence and advanced farming technologies to increase crop productivity

Celebrated for boosting agricultural productivity and enhancing food security worldwide, the green revolution constituted some of the most significant advances in crop production within the 20th century. Many recent studies, however, have identified occurrences of crop yield stagnation in certain areas of the world, with worries that global yield gains are no longer sufficient to feed an exponentially growing world population. Here, we review the current issues facing global crop production and discuss the role of genome editing technologies in overcoming yield stagnation and current legislative bottlenecks in the use of genome editing on crops. We explore strategies to integrate genome editing with omics, artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced farming technologies for major advancements in crop performance. To achieve real-world yield improvements, agricultural practices must also evolve. This review discusses how precision farming approaches, combining satellite technology, AI-driven decision support and real-time monitoring, can support climate-adaptive and sustainable farming. Going forward, it will be essential to address issues throughout the pipeline to fully integrate fast-developing genome editing technologies with other advanced technologies in global agriculture, so the industry can keep up with the changing environment and ensure future food security.