Plant Genetic Engineering: Technological Pathways, Application Scenarios, and Future Directions

As for sustainable food security, plant genetic engineering has emerged as a transformative technology offering innovative solutions. This review comprehensively examines recent advances in plant genetic engineering, from technical foundations to technological innovations, and to multifaceted applications. They transcend the constraints of traditional breeding, including its long cycle and narrow genetic base, showing remarkable potential in crop improvement. By modulating key genes governing plant height, branching, leaf morphology, and root structure, plant architecture can be optimized to enhance light utilization and lodging resistance. Targeted manipulation of genes related to disease and pest resistance, and tolerance to drought, salinity, and temperature extremes, substantially improves resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Additionally, by fine-tuning yield determinants and by engineering photosynthetic pathways, yield potential can be effectively increased. Beyond productivity, genetic engineering facilitates nutritional fortification, improved sensory quality, and enhanced processing characteristics, paving the way for novel crop varieties that integrate nutrition with palatability. Looking forward, coordinated multi-gene editing, utilization of wild germplasm, strengthened field adaptability testing, and exploration of controllable epigenetic regulation represent key directions for the future. Collectively, these advances will drive plant genetic engineering toward greater precision, efficiency, and intelligence, providing a robust foundation for sustainable agricultural development.