CRISPR-Cas for Fungal Genome Editing: A New Tool for the Management of Plant Diseases

Abstract

Fungal pathogens are the main factors responsible for the most severe diseases affecting plants, leading to significant reduction in yield and crop quality and causing enormous economic losses worldwide. It is estimated that around 30% of the emerging diseases are caused by fungi (Giraud et al., 2010) thus requiring new strategies to improve their management. Biological control approach, frequently referred to the use of non-pathogenic microbial antagonists or products derived from their metabolism, represents a valid and promising alternative under a more ecological perspective to reduce the activities and to control populations of target pathogens (Singh, 2016). However, although the use of antagonists belonging to species different from that of the pathogen has been successfully reported, the use of competitors belonging to the same species of the pathogen is not widespread. A biocontrol strategy based on competition for space and nutrients and/or the induction of plant defenses against virulent pathogens performed by attenuated or avirulent pathogens (Ghorbanpour et al., 2018) could, therefore, be considered a valid alternative.