The Power and Perils of De Novo Domestication Using Genome Editing

Summary

There is intense interest in using genome editing technologies to domesticate wild plants, or accelerate the improvement of weakly domesticated crops, in de novo domestication. Here, we discuss promising genetic strategies, with a focus on plant development. Importantly, genome editing releases us from dependence on random mutagenesis or intraspecific diversity, allowing us to draw solutions more broadly from diversity. However, sparse understanding of the complex genetics of diversity limits innovation. Beyond genetics, we urge the ethical use of indigenous knowledge, indigenous plants, and ethnobotany. De novo domestication still requires conventional breeding by phenotypic selection, especially in the development of crops for diverse environments and cultures. Indeed, uniting genome edi