Integrated biotechnological and AI innovations for crop improvement

Guotian Li (), Linna An, Wanneng Yang, Lei Yang, Tong Wei, Jiawei Shi, Jianglin Wang, John H. Doonan, Kabin Xie, Alisdair R. Fernie, Evans S. Lagudah, Rod A. Wing and Caixia Gao ()
Additional contact information
Guotian Li: Huazhong Agricultural University
Linna An: The University of Washington
Wanneng Yang: Huazhong Agricultural University
Lei Yang: Huazhong Agricultural University
Tong Wei: BGI Research
Jiawei Shi: Huazhong Agricultural University
Jianglin Wang: Huazhong Agricultural University
John H. Doonan: Aberystwyth University
Kabin Xie: Huazhong Agricultural University
Alisdair R. Fernie: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology
Evans S. Lagudah: Agriculture and Food
Rod A. Wing: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Caixia Gao: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature, 2025, vol. 643, issue 8073, 925-937

Abstract: Abstract Crops provide food, clothing and other important products for the global population. To meet the demands of a growing population, substantial improvements are required in crop yield, quality and production sustainability. However, these goals are constrained by various environmental factors and limited genetic resources. Overcoming these limitations requires a paradigm shift in crop improvement by fully leveraging natural genetic diversity alongside biotechnological approaches such as genome editing and the heterologous expression of designed proteins, coupled with multimodal data integration. In this Review, we provide an in-depth analysis of integrated uses of omics technologies, genome editing, protein design and high-throughput phenotyping, in crop improvement, supported by artificial intelligence-enabled tools. We discuss the emerging applications and current challenges of these technologies in crop improvement. Finally, we present a perspective on how elite alleles generated through these technologies can be incorporated into the genomes of existing and de novo domesticated crops, aided by a proposed artificial intelligence model. We suggest that integrating these technologies with agricultural practices will lead to a new revolution in crop improvement, contributing to global food security in a sustainable manner.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09122-8

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