Newswise – Review covers biological and non-biological modification techniques that enable efficient introduction of beneficial genes into plants. It also describes recent advances that improve the efficiency of transformation and expand the range of transgenic crops, providing new tools for developing high-yield, climate-resistant, and disease-resistant crops to support global food security.
Genetic modification of plants has become the basis of modern plant technology. Since the first successful application of exogenous DNA to plants in the early 1980s, scientists have developed a variety of methods for integrating genes into plant genomes. First tools to get started Agrobacteria-systematic transformation has shown that bacterial vectors can deliver genetic material efficiently to plant cells, enabling the regeneration of sustainable plants. Over time, other methods – including viral delivery, particle blasting, microinjection, polyethylene glycol-mediated transfer, and nanomaterial-based systems – have increased the power of transformation in many plant species. Despite these advances, high transformation efficiency remains difficult to achieve due to genotype dependence, replication barriers, and technical limitations. As a result, researchers are focusing more on improving transformation efficiency and developing new technologies to accelerate crop improvement and functional genomics research.
A study (DOI: 10.48130/abd-0025-0013) published by Plant diversity on January 20, 2026 by Yang Li’s group, Biorun Biosciences Co. Ltd., highlights the evolution, methods, and applications of plant genetic modification technologies, highlighting emerging strategies that improve transformation efficiency and expanding their use in crop genetic improvement.
Researchers approach plant genetic modification technologies by dividing them into two main categories: biological and non-biological modification systems. Among biological processes, Agrobacteria-central transformation is still the most widely used method due to its high efficiency, low transgene copy number, and the ability to deliver large DNA fragments. This review highlights recent methods that overcome cultural limitations such as genotype dependence and the need for extensive cell culture. For example, improved methods allow Agrobacteria infecting meristematic cells or root-stem junctions, which enables the production of transgenic plants by reducing dependence on cell culture. Viral-associated transformation is also discussed as an alternative method that uses viral vectors to insert genes into plant cells, allowing rapid gene expression without requiring complete plant regeneration. In addition to biological processes, the analysis covers many physical and chemical gene delivery methods. Particle bombardment, commonly known as gene manipulation, creates small particles coated with DNA into plant cells, enabling the foreign DNA to bind to the plant’s genome. Microinjection delivers genes directly into plant cells through tiny capillaries, providing precise delivery but requiring special equipment. PEG-mediated transformation, which is widely used in protoplast-based systems, promotes DNA incorporation by temporarily disrupting cell membranes. Another method, pollen tube-mediated transformation, introduces foreign DNA during fertilization using the natural processes of pollen. The review highlights the rapid development of revolutionary technologies with nanomaterials. Engineered nanoparticles—including carbon nanotubes, magnetic nanoparticles, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles—can transport DNA, RNA, or proteins across plant cell walls and membranes, enabling gene delivery without traditional cell culture. In other systems, magnetic nanoparticles transfer DNA directly to pollen, which results in genetic changes through natural contact. In addition to delivery technology, the review also highlights strategies to improve the effectiveness of the transition. Development managers like WUSCHEL, GET OUT YOUNGGRF-GIF chimeras, and WOX5 improve plant regeneration by promoting cell division and embryogenesis. Meanwhile, it is engineered Agrobacteria challenges, improved nanomaterials, and improved cell delivery therapies increase the efficiency of gene transfer.
Overall, this review highlights how advances in plant genetics are accelerating crop biotechnology. As transformation systems continue to evolve along with genetic editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas technology, researchers are looking forward to the development of next-generation crops with improved yields, resistance to pests and diseases, and greater tolerance to environmental stress.
###
References
DOI
10.48130/abd-0025-0013
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.48130/abd-0025-0013
About Plant diversity
Plant diversity is the official journal of Yunnan Agricultural University and published by Maximum Academic Press. Plant diversity is an open-access, online-only, rigorously peer-reviewed academic journal focused on research and studies related to agriculture and biodiversity, including but not limited to: innovation, theory, and technology in agricultural diversity; agricultural genetic diversity; ecological cooperation among different crops; interactions between crops and the natural environment; interactions between crops and microbial ecosystems; research on new integrated agricultural technologies; testing new types of equipment in agriculture. Plant diversity aims to publish original research articles, opinions, views, opinions, letters and articles of high quality.
#Plant #Genetic #Engineering #Drives #Era #Crop #Innovation #Newswise