Climate change poses a significant threat to perennial crops like grapevine in the USA, with projections indicating that 50-81% of acreage may become unproductive by 2040. To address this, breeding resilient varieties is imperative. However, traditional breeding for perennials is time-consuming (25-30 years) due to extended evaluation periods. Genome Editing, specifically CRISPR/Cas9, offers targeted modification potential but faces hurdles in perennial crops such as grapevine. These include somaclonal variation, inefficient transformation, transgene removal needs, and industry hesitance. We propose an efficient Genome Editing method for grapevine leveraging the systemic mobility of methylated dicistronic mRNA:tRNA molecules. This approach aims to: 1. Enable genome editing without transgene integration, negating the need for backcrossing and preventing unintended genetic changes. 2. Circumvent in-vitro culture, reducing somaclonal variation risk and preserving existing chimerism. Our method addresses key challenges in Genome Editing adoption for grapevine and could accelerate the development of climate-resilient varieties, crucial for sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.
