CRISPR/Cas gene editing for plant resistance to pests, diseases, and herbicide: application, risk assessment, and safety evaluation

Global food security faces growing threats from substantial crop losses attributable to insect damage, pathogenic diseases, and herbicide-related impacts. Developing new tools to enhance crop production has become a critical challenge. The CRISPR/Cas system represents a breakthrough in precision genome editing that operates without requiring transgene integration, fundamentally transforming both plant science research and crop enhancement strategies. However, the application of this approach in five major crops (rice, wheat, maize, potato, and soybean), faces hurdles stemming from public acceptance and regulatory uncertainty. This review provides a systematic analysis of CRISPR/Cas technology applications for developing resistance against insects, diseases, and herbicides in essential food crops. We evaluate both the promising potential and significant challenges of this technology, particularly off-target effects and environmental safety. Furthermore, we investigate the evolving regulatory frameworks for gene editing crops across different countries, as regulatory clarity represents a critical determinant for their commercial development.