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Elsevier

Intelligent Gene Editing in Plants

The Convergence of AI and CRISPR

  • 1st Edition - September 1, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Aftab Ahmad, Baohong Zhang, Kamel A. Abd-Elsalam, Ahmed Al-Harrasi
  • Language: English

Intelligent Gene Editing in Plants analyzes how AI-enabled design and CRISPR-based genome engineering are reshaping plant genetics, with a clear functional focus on delivering du… Read more

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Description

Intelligent Gene Editing in Plants analyzes how AI-enabled design and CRISPR-based genome engineering are reshaping plant genetics, with a clear functional focus on delivering durable gains in crop productivity, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality.
The work unfolds in three parts: [i] a foundational survey of genome-editing technologies and the evolving role of AI in precise trait modifications and outcome prediction; [ii] a thorough exploration of applications and synergies, including AI-assisted gRNA optimization, off-target mitigation, regulatory-network analysis, and trait enhancement for disease resistance and climate resilience; and [iii] an emerging-horizons section on cis-regulatory edits, omics integration, synthetic biology, and next-generation editing.
Throughout, the volume interweaves practical experiences, cutting-edge methodologies, and case studies, alongside discussions of biosafety, ethical concerns, governance, and public perception, providing a holistic, decision-ready resource for students, researchers, practitioners, and regulatory authorities to navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of plant gene editing, with significant implications for sustainable agriculture and global food security.

Key features

  • Bridges CRISPR and AI into a unified platform that enables adaptive prototyping, rigorous validation, and scalable deployment in diverse cropping systems
  • Streamlines design-to-delivery pipelines, realizing more reliable translation into crop improvements and shorter development timelines
  • Integrates multi-omics data, phenotypic profiles, and environmental context to model performance and guide targeted interventions

Readership

Advanced level students, researchers, agricultural scientists.

Table of contents

Part I. An Introduction to Gene Editing Technologies

1. Gene Editing Technologies. A Comprehensive Overview

2. Revolution of CRISPR-Cas

3. The CRISPR-Cas Toolkit for Gene Editing in Plants

4. CRISPR Cargoes and Their Delivery Systems

5. Applications of CRISPR/Cas in Plants

6. Gene Editing Beyond Food Crops

7. Convergence of Gene Editing and AI. Future of Gene Editing in Plants

8. From Data to Discovery. The Role of AI in Advancing Gene Editing

9. Machine Learning Approaches in Gene Editing

Part II. Applications and Synergies of CRISPR and AI for Plant Gene Editing

10. Practical Design of gRNA. AI Combined with CRISPR

11. AI for Accurate Prediction of On-Target Efficiency and Minimizing Off-Targets in Plants

12. AI for Better Predicting CRISPR Repair Outcomes

13. AI and CRISPR. Studying Gene Functions and Regulatory Networks in Plants

14. AI-Driven Gene Editing for Disease Resistance in Plants

15. Genome Editing for Tolerance to Begomoviruses in Crops

16. AI and Multiplex Gene Editing. Future of Gene Editing in Plants

17. Unleashing the Power of AI and CRISPR for Food Security

18. Intelligent Gene Editing for Stress Tolerance in Plants

19. AI-Guided CRISPR in Crop Yield Enhancement

20. AI-Driven Regulation of Gene-Edited Plants

21. AI and CRISPR. Biosafety, Governance, and Public Perception of Gene-Edited Organisms

22. AI and Biosafety and Governance of Modified Microorganisms, Including GMMs for Plant Growth Promotion

23. CRISPR Meets AI. New Frontiers in Developing Insect-Resistant Crops

Part III. Emerging Horizons of CRISPR

24. Editing Cis-Regulatory Elements to Enhance Desired Traits in Plants. A Case Study

25. AI Integration with Omics and CRISPR to Decipher Complex Traits in Plants

26. CRISPR and Synthetic Biology. Transformative Role of AI

27. AI and Next-Generation Gene Editing Tools

28. Future Landscape of CRISPR and AI in Plant Gene Editing

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: September 1, 2026
  • Language: English

About the editors

AA

Aftab Ahmad

Aftab Ahmad earned his PhD and completed postdoctoral research in plant molecular biology at the University of Shizuoka, Japan, under the prestigious 21st Century Center of Excellence Program. He also served as a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of California Davis, United States. With over a decade of teaching experience in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, Dr. Aftab now continues to advance plant genome editing research aimed at improving crop resilience and productivity at the Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Oman. He has published in leading international peer-reviewed journals such as Frontiers in Plant Science, Journal of Biomedical Science, Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, Journal of Cereal Science, Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, and many more.

Affiliations and expertise
Associate Professor, Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman

BZ

Baohong Zhang

Baohong Zhang is a THCAS Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biology at East Carolina University and an internationally recognized leader in genomics and biotechnology. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Plant Genetics and Breeding from China Agricultural University and his PhD in Environmental Toxicology from Texas Tech University. For over 20 years, Dr. Zhang has conducted pioneering research in transgenic technologies, genome editing, and functional genomics, supported by major funding agencies such as the NSF, NIH, DoD, and USDA, as well as industry partners including the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and DuPont. He is a prolific author, with several publications listed as Highly Cited Papers by the ISI Web of Science. He is Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Guest Editor for multiple international journals, including Functional & Integrative Genomics, Plants, Scientific Reports, Plant Biotechnology Journal, Molecular Biotechnology, Plant Molecular Biology, and Journal of Cotton Research. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Zhang has received numerous honors, including more recently the ECU Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity Award (2017), the Cotton Researcher of the Year (2018), the Lifetime Achievement Research Award (2019), and the Cotton Biotechnology Award (2020).
Affiliations and expertise
THCAS Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA

KA

Kamel A. Abd-Elsalam

Kamel A. Abd-Elsalam is currently a research professor at the Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza. He earned his PhD in molecular plant pathology through a joint program between Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany, and Suez Canal University, Egypt, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Christian Albrechts University. His research focuses on nanobiotechnology applications in agriculture and plant protection, and he has authored numerous peer‑reviewed articles and edited books with major international publishers. His scientific contributions have been recognized nationally and regionally, including awards from the Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils for research excellence in biotechnology and the Egyptian State Award for Agricultural Scientific Excellence from the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. He has been recognized among the world’s top 2% most influential scientists in nanobiotechnology for three consecutive years (2021–2023), according to global rankings developed by Stanford University. Since 2019, he has served as the Editor-in-Chief of two Elsevier book series, Nanobiotechnology for Plant Protection and Genome Modified Plants and Microbes in Food and Agriculture.
Affiliations and expertise
Research Professor, Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

AA

Ahmed Al-Harrasi

Ahmed Al-Harrasi is Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies, Research, and External Relations and teaches organic chemistry at the University of Nizwa, Oman, where he also founded and chairs the Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center. He earned his BSc (1997) in chemistry from Sultan Qaboos University, and his MSc (2002) and PhD (2005) in organic chemistry from the Free University of Berlin as a DAAD Fellow under the supervision of Prof. Hans-Ulrich Reissig. He later pursued postdoctoral research in chemical biology as a Fulbright Scholar at Cornell University, United States. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of UNESCO’s International Basic Sciences Program, Professor Al-Harrasi has led over 40 funded research projects and is an accomplished and prolific author. His contributions to research have been widely recognized through the Order of Royal Commendation from His Majesty. He is also a recipient of the National Research Award from the Research Council of Oman. From 2019 to 2024, he has been consistently listed among the World’s Top 2% of Scientists by Stanford University.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor and Chair, Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman